I photographed this stunning piano in an abandoned villa, where each room was a joy to capture. It was my last location of a week-long solo trip, and it was my favorite. The decay in here was simply lovely, and there was so much stuff left behind.

Abandoned Piano in Decay

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I found and photographed this chapel along a random busy road in Italy. The chapel's front door was wide open. Despite this, the chapel is in good condition, without vandalism or graffiti, and with very nice colours and decay.

Abandoned Italian Chapel

I photographed this beautiful hallway in an abandoned Italian villa. Many of the rooms in this villa are on the verge of collapse. You can see the bad shape that the building is in. However, the main hallway shows how beautiful it once must have been. The other side of the hallway had a peacock on top of the door instead of a monkey, and I'll share that side later.

Abandoned Hallway with Fresco

I photographed this small staircase with a beautiful fresco in the corner of an abandoned building that was most likely used as a party facility (I'm not sure). The building was in fairly good shape, and didn't have a lot of decay. I was surprised to find some really nice and expensive furniture in some of the rooms.

Narrow Abandoned Stairs with Fresco

This is a photo of a beautiful staircase in one of the buildings of an abandoned sanatorium complex. Construction of the complex started in the 30s of the 20th century. In the 60s, after treatment of tuberculosis became much more effective with penicillin, the complex closed. Since then, the buildings are abandoned and derelict. Due to architectural heritage 'rules', each project or sale to start working on the complex has been shut down.

Abandoned Stairs in Decay

I walked for around 30 minutes in the flaming heat to reach this beautiful staircase in an abandoned Italian farm house. On the way to the house, I was greeted by a friendly farmer riding his tractor. Most of this building was a complete mess. However, this staircase was more than worth the walk.

Stairs in Abandoned Farmhouse

During a short trip to Poland I photographed this beautiful abandoned power plant from the beginning of the 20th century. It is one of the most important historical monuments of coal-fired power stations in Europe.

Abandoned Industry in Decay

This is a picture of a sadly abandoned birdcage hanging on a wire from the ceiling of an abandoned house. The house is located in a great spot amidst the Italian hills. Renovation attempts seem to have started here and there, but have already been killed.

Abandoned Birdcage in the House

This small and abandoned chapel has been the subject of wild rumours and stories. It is hidden in the midst of dense vegetation and built in the same Gothic style as the nearby castle. Originally, the building was supposed to be a funeral chapel for the family that owned the castle nearby.

Little Abandoned Chapel

This partly abandoned hotel was built in the mid-20th century and has beautiful architecture. Half of the building is inhabited by displaced people. The entire building is in heavy decay. However, plans are being made to renovate the property.

Abandoned Columns

This is a picture of a beautiful piano left in the room of an abandoned building. The building was probably used as a house for the nearby factory. This is the only object that was left behind.

Abandoned Piano in the Corner

This is a photo of the beautiful staircase in an abandoned sanatorium. The sanatorium is being completely stripped at this moment. Work to transform this building into a hotel has recently started. The hotel will have 160 rooms, and is located in an area that is famous for its radon-carbonate mineral springs, whose natural temperature of 33–35 °C enables the water to be used without preliminary heating. The area was especially popular in the Soviet era, attracting around 125.000 visitors a year. Stalin regularly visited a bathing house here.

Abandoned Blue Staircase

This is a picture of a great staircase in a building that is actually still in use and took us weeks to find. Once at the door of the building, we were welcomed by a resident who happily let us in and let us do our thing. I was so excited to finally see the stairs with my own eyes.

Abandoned spiral staircase

This is a photo of an abandoned paper mill in severe disrepair. About four large metal balls that were used for paper production are visible. They are covered in rust, and nature is taking this place back.

Abandoned Paper Mill in Decay

This is a photo of the lighthouse on Capo d'Otranto, the easternmost point of Italy. The lighthouse was built in 1817, and abandoned in the 1970s. However, the lighthouse was reopened to tourists in 2008. This lighthouse is one of five lighthouses protected by the European Commission. In good weather, you can see the coast of Albania from here.

Lighthouse on Capo d'Otranto

This is a picture of an old and abandoned bathtub I photographed in a ruined castle in Italy. I don't think this was a bathroom, but that the bathtub was moved here for whatever reason. The combination of the decay on the wall and ceiling with the blue original tones of the paint gives a nice effect to this dilapidated room.

Abandoned Bathtub in Blue Room

This is a photograph of a veranda that's attached to an abandoned villa in an Italian town. Loved the colors and details in here. It still feels so alive!

Abandoned Veranda in Decay

This is a picture of the beautiful library, filled with many old books, in an abandoned 17th-century villa. It was bought by an important figure in Italian history in the late 1860s. Much of the villa is badly dilapidated and many antique furniture and objects have been left behind.

Abandoned Library in Italian Villa

This is a picture of a workbench in an abandoned pottery factory I photographed in Belgium. It was a rainy day in winter and almost the entire building was in a heavy state of disrepair. Here and there you could still find moulds used for firing various products.

Abandoned Workbench with Books

This beautiful house was built in the 19th century and is one of the oldest houses in Ras Beirut, Lebanon. From the house you have a beautiful view of the old lighthouse of the city. Unfortunately, the house has been abandoned for a long time and little to no steps have been taken to renovate it.

Abandoned Balcony with Sea View

This is a photo I took from the balcony of an abandoned villa in Italy. The villa was built using different architectural styles which makes it a masterpiece. A dream spot with a beautiful view. The villa is now being renovated and is owned by the municipality.

Abandoned Balcony with Beautiful Views

Abandoned villa in a beautiful area of France with a beautiful piano in the hall. The villa has been abandoned for quite some time and is now under renovation.

Detail of Abandoned Piano

This is an aerial photo of a historic abandoned church. I photographed it among beautiful olive tree fields. Built in 1666, this charming church features stunning stucco volutes and serliana windows. Despite its simple exterior, the interior boasts intricate decorative elements and a bell tower with a characteristic onion dome. Sadly, it has suffered significant damage since the 1887 earthquake and remains in a state of disrepair.

Abandoned Church Among Olive Tree Fields

The original building was built in the 13th century but in the 17th century the palace was expanded and transformed into a residency. It has had many different owners and in the 19th century it was uninhabited for several years. At the very end of this same century a wealthy American bought the palace as a wedding gift for his daughter. They invested a lot of money in repairing the castle and bringing back its former glory. During the 2nd World War the palace was used as an archive facility and was therefor heavily guarded. It didn't suffer any damage during the war.

Piano in the Dust

Originally built in the 19th century as a luxurious private residence, it was later transformed into a psychiatric hospital by its owner, Dr. Agostino Sbertoli, a prominent doctor of the time. Dr. Sbertoli purchased the villa in 1860 and established the psychiatric hospital soon after. His aim was to create a facility for the treatment of mental illnesses, adhering to the more humane and progressive therapeutic practices of the era. The hospital operated for many decades, gaining a reputation for its innovative approach to mental health care, which included art and occupational therapy.

Piano in Abandoned Italian Villa

This is a photo of a stunning abandoned Renaissance residence. Built in the 16th century, this estate showcases opulent frescoes, gold leaf stucco, and a grand basalt fireplace. Once a Papal summer residence, it offers stunning views and a unique indoor-outdoor experience in the Italian countryside.

Beautiful Fresco in Abandoned Palace

I photographed this beautiful staircase in an abandoned house that I found in a desolate Italian village.

Beautiful Stairs in Abandoned House

This is a picture I took in an abandoned theatre in Germany. There had been a fire in the theatre, and much was damaged by the fire. So was this beautiful piano left on the stage.

Abandoned Piano on Stage

This is a photo of an abandoned staircase that I photographed in a house that's on the verge of collapse.

Colorful Staircase

I photographed this beautiful room in an abandoned school. Can you imagine this room, for example, being a classroom or an office? Such a beauty! I was so excited when I found it.

Abandoned School with Fresco

This is a picture I took in an abandoned Italian villa. This room was the only one still interesting to photograph. The rest of the villa had collapsed or was in too severe a state of disrepair. Nevertheless, this room gives an indication of how beautiful this property must once have been. This villa is expected to be demolished in the not too distant future.

Blue Birdcage in Decay

This is a picture of a door I photographed in an abandoned house in France. The house was still full of belongings and furniture. But, the simplicity and colour palette of this door and wall combination caught my attention. Sometimes dilapidated beauty is so simple.

Blue Door in Decay

This is a picture of a beautiful wall I found in an abandoned train station. The leafy paint and overgrowth on the wall make the photo particularly interesting.

Decaying Wall with Plants

Little is known about the history of this wonderful church, but the construction of the original structure dates back to the 10th - 11th century. The current structure, set on the rocky wall of a medieval village, is from the second half of the 17th century. An ancient stone on the left wall refers to an attribution of an ancient local family.

Beautiful Abandoned Church

In the middle of the city of Beirut, Lebanon, I found this beautiful abandoned palace that has fallen into severe disrepair. Details in the ceiling show what amazing craftsmanship went into developing this home.

Abandoned Palace in Great Decay

This is a picture of a dark concrete staircase in the building of the Council of Ministers, located in the capital of a country that doesn't really exist (Abkhazia).

Abandoned Dark Concrete Staircase

Originally established in 1899, the facility used a new process, developed in the United States, to degrease and wash wool, recovering by-products such as wool grease. The facility used water from the nearby river. The nearby river is very pure and contains no lime. The water was mainly used for the steam engines. The facility cleans the wool using hot water and detergent. The lanolin or wool grease floats on the water, is drained, filtered and purified. Lanolin was a valuable product, it was used in cosmetic products. Some steam engines were still in use until the end of the 20th century.

Abandoned Industry

This is a photo of a partly dismantled Porsche standing in an abandoned garage. The garage is covered in greens and is part of a much bigger abandoned complex with a couple of other interesting rooms.

Abandoned Car in Decay

This is a picture of a beautiful dilapidated corridor in an abandoned train station in Abkhazia. Abkhazia is a country which is not officially recognized. Visiting the country was therefore quite challenging, which makes this picture all the more special.

Hallway in Abandoned Train Station

This is a photo taken in the beautiful and colourful hallway of an abandoned villa. While the sun was setting quickly, I had to hurry to take the photo while this lovely light was covering the walls. This is one of those rare gems that you'd easily walk past, but has hidden beauty all over.

Sunset in an Abandoned Hallway

This is a photo of a beautiful abandoned thermal bath, located on the top of a hill with an extraordinary view of the surrounding. The structure has been created around the 13th century. Legend goes, the water in the area has special healing powers. To take this photo, I walked through the room with my bare feet since there is still quite a lot of water inside (you can see it at the bottom of the photo). While it was freezing outside, the water itself was actually pretty comfortable.

Abandoned Blue Spa

A beautiful piano, covered in dust, lying on the floor in a room of an abandoned farm.

Abandoned Piano on the Floor

This is a photo of the staircase in an abandoned cement factory. The factory, which is more or less a concrete shell nowadays, has been abandoned for quite a while. Part of it is destroyed, and the rest of the destruction works are slowly progressing.

Abandoned Concrete Stairs

This is a photo of one of the most beautiful abandoned staircases I have seen. I was recently in the area of this building and decided to drop by to see if it was still open. Glad to see it was, so I was able to finally see it with my own eyes. The staircase is part of the house that's attached to an abandoned farm.

Abandoned Spiral Staircase

This is a photo of a staircase in a former hotel. In the early 20th century, after chemical analysis had taken place and revealed the uniqueness of the water, the city this building is located in, was officially declared a medical spa resort. Building of the resort started around 5 years later. In the 50’s of the 20th century, the city was an important spa-resort during the Soviet era.

Abandoned Stairs of Escher

This is a photo of the amazing staircase in the Sursock Palace which is located on Rue Sursock in Beirut, Lebanon. The palace was completed in 1860 and was owned by Lady Cochrane Sursock. Lady Cochrane Sursock was committed to the preservation of cultural heritage in Lebanon. During the explosion in the port of Beirut in August 2020, the palace was badly damaged.

Staircase in Splendid Palace

The Koujak Jaber Building in Ramlet el Beida (Beirut, Lebanon) is an apartment complex that is still inhabited. The circular openings have a diameter of 3 meters. This building with modern architecture looks impressive.

The Koujak-Jaber Building

This photo is taken in a room in a former clinic. The clinic was well known because it's built in an area that has a lot of radon in the water. In small dosis, radon supposedly has a healing effect on the body. I've visited this location twice, and the difference was night and day. Decay really kicked in and a lot more of the building has been damaged or vandalised. The lips in this photo weren't there when I visited the building the first time either.

Lips on the Wall

Built in the late 19th century, this abandoned casino with it beautiful colors is a true joy to the eyes. This architectural jewel is built in a lovely baroque style. The room in this photo used to host the roulette and poker games. Luckily enough, this room survived a big fire in the building around 60 years ago. Therefore, the paintings are mostly still intact.

Abandoned Casino in Decay

This is a photograph of the abandoned bar entrance of a casino in Romania.

Abandoned Casino Bar Entrance

I took this picture from the top floor of the abandoned and dilapidated Holiday Inn hotel in the city of Beirut, Lebanon. This floor had a revolving spinning restaurant, and this was the view. The hotel was built between 1971 and 1974, functioned for one year and then played a very important role in the Lebanese civil war (in 1975).

View of Beirut from Holiday Inn Hotel

In a place where you wouldn't expect it, I found this piano lying on the floor. The room must have been used as a garage or as storage. The entrance was almost completely covered in plants.

Dark and Abandoned Piano

This is a photo of what at first was a private residence, which was later transformed into a luxurious hotel. The Venetian Moorish-style building dates back to the early 20th century, and was one of the first 'disco pubs' of the Adriatic coast. Unfortunately, the building lies in a state of decay for over 20 years.

Abandoned Venetian Hotel in Decay

My actual thought of seeing the abandoned city of Pripyat for the first time was how big it was. I was expecting a big city with many buildings but this was massive and there was so much to see. Most of the buildings were still in a pretty good shape and lots of details have still been left conserved. They had everything. Cinema, schools, kindergartens (15!), sports places, a post office, a super market, hotels, many shops, a barber and so on. While walking and driving around the city it felt very surrealistic. It’s such a huge area with so many abandoned buildings.

Abandoned Swimming Pool in Chernobyl

This photo is taken in a beautiful abandoned house in Italy, which was most likely part of a farm. The location is rather special to me. I remember, about 4 years ago, when I went on my first Italy trip, that this was the location I was looking forward to the most. I had never seen such a beautiful fresco in a room. When I entered the room I was stunned and I lay down on the floor and enjoyed the artwork that covered the complete room. 4 Years later, I went to this lovely house again and was very pleased to see that the room was in the same condition as I had seen it before.

Beautiful Fresco in an Abandoned House

This place, which was a hotel, has exactly the decay that I love. There were plants and moss growing everywhere. Furniture was still inside but barely standing. It had much more to offer then expected. Before visiting this place I slept in a hotel nearby and the owner of that hotel told me that the city absolutely hates the abandoned hotel because it looks awful from outside.

Dark and Abandoned Hotel Room

At the end of the 19th century this beautiful, and now abandoned, chapel was built. The architect promised to design a chapel in old Gothic style, and lived up to that promise. The chapel is surrounded by an immense garden. Nature is clearly taking over.

Beautiful Abandoned Chapel

This beautiful Italian villa is hundreds of years old and has been abandoned for decades. During the Second World War, a hidden liquor warehouse was discovered, and parts of the villa were damaged. The villa was still inhabited until 1959, after which it fell into the hands of an anonymous Swiss company. The villa has recently been declared a national monument and is eagerly awaiting the restoration it deserves.

Abandoned Italian Villa

I photographed this abandoned house in Italy. The roof has mostly collapsed, and some of the contents have fallen from the first floor to the ground floor. Meanwhile, plants were growing inside.

Abandoned House with Collapsed Roof

I photographed this room in the same building as the photo that's in the final of The Art of Building photography competition (waiting for the results...). Actually, this room is next to it! This is an abandoned school in a remote Italian village. The school was large, and had multiple floors and entrances. It was built in a square with an open center that's now covered in grass and left-behind farmers equipment.

Colourful Room in Decay

The Art Deco Cult House, located in County Meath, Ireland, is an abandoned structure renowned for its distinctive architecture and mysterious origins. Built in the mid-20th century, it's believed to have been a vanity project commissioned by an unknown wealthy individual. The house's design is a unique blend of Art Deco and brutalist elements, featuring bold curves, exposed concrete, and numerous references to the female form, including vulva-shaped windows and fireplaces. These provocative design choices have led to local speculation about the building's purpose.

Piano in Abandoned House in Ireland

One of the most notable ghost towns in Italy happens to be Apice. The Benevento province of the Campania region in the South of Italy is sadly home to a multitude of abandoned structures, villages, and towns. The area is quite known for being vulnerable to earthquakes, which didn’t make life easy for these communities over the past few centuries. The looming seismic threats and the trends of mass migration to nearby cities contributed to leaving many of these places behind. This the abandoned church in the town.

Abandoned Church in Apice Italy

Forgotten sanctuaries like this one whisper stories of devotion, silence, and slow decay. Hidden in the Portuguese countryside, this abandoned chapel stands as a relic of a bygone era, once part of a larger 19th-century necropolis. Though time and nature have worn it down, its faded blues and crumbling arches still echo reverence. Wandering through spaces like this reminds me how beauty often lives in the broken and forgotten.

Abandoned Portuguese Chapel

This is a photo of the impressive Russia-Georgia Friendship Monument in a mountainous landscape of Georgia. It lies between the Gudauri and the Jvari pass and was built in 1983.

Monument in Landscape Georgia

This is a picture of an abandoned train bridge in one of the poorest parts of Abkhazia. After the civil war in the '90s, thousands of people fled. This area used to be home to 40,000 people. Today, only 5,000 people live there.

Abandoned train bridge in the mountains

This is a photo of one of the many beautiful (laurel) trees found in the unique Fanal Forest on the island of Madeira. The forest feels like walking through a fairy tale, as it is usually coated with a mysterious layer of fog.

Tree in Mystical Fanal Forest in Madeira

It is no surprise that Madeira has earned the nickname "Pearl of the Atlantic". This beautiful Portuguese island in the North Atlantic harbours breathtaking natural sights, as well as a truly distinctive local culture full of lore and links to Portugal, North Africa and much more. The island has been known since ancient times. However, it took until the 1420s before it was finally inhabited by the first Portuguese settlers. The allure of this beautiful island, long known for its legendary beauty and lushness, prompted so many people to venture far from their homeland.

Sunset on Madeira Island

This is a picture of Miradouro da Partilha, a beautiful (and my favourite) viewpoint on the island of Madeira. It is a viewpoint not visited by many tourists. You can sit there quietly, with infinite views of the ocean.

Ocean views

This is a view at a small village on Madeira island, taken from one of the many viewpoints along the road.

Village View on Madeira Island

The Anjos Waterfall is a beautiful natural attraction on the island of Madeira, part of Portugal. It is also known as the Risco waterfall or the Levada do Risco waterfall. Located in the Rabaçal area of Madeira, a popular destination for hikers and nature lovers, the Anjos waterfall is about 100 metres high and flows down a rocky cliff into a small pool. The water flows from the Levada do Risco, an irrigation canal built centuries ago to bring water to the agricultural terraces in the area. The path to the Anjos waterfall is about 8 kilometres long and takes about 2-3 hours to hike.

Anjos Waterfall on Madeira Island

Ponta do Rosto is a promontory on the east coast of the island of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal. It is located near the town of Machico and is known for its scenic views and natural beauty. At Ponta do Rosto, visitors can enjoy stunning panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean and Madeira's rugged coastline. There is also a small lighthouse on the promontory, which has been in use since the early 20th century and adds to the charm and beauty of the area. Besides its natural beauty, Ponta do Rosto is also known for its hiking trails.

Ponta do Rosto in Madeira

This is one of the beautiful laurel trees in Madeira's unique Fanal Forest. The forest feels like walking through a fairy tale, as it is usually covered in a mysterious layer of mist, as can be seen in this photo. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the forest is one of the last laurel forests in the world.

Tree in the Fanal Forest in Madeira

This is a photo of the beautiful view of Ponta de Sao Lourenco on the island of Madeira. This is the outermost point on the island, and is located on the eastern side. Hiking on Ponta de Sao Lourenco is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful hikes on the island. The coastline is great to see, and it is a great place to get a breath of fresh air. In the distance, you can see the lines of Porto Santo.

Views of Ponta de Sao Lourenco on Madeira

This is a photo of the 'Black Devil Tower' on the beautiful island of Madeira. Photographed during sunset, allowing a beautiful, warm, orange light to fall on the stones. The ocean is coloured a beautiful blue, and the view is endless.

Black Devil Tower on Madeira during Sunset

This is a portrait photo I took during one of my favourite trips last year. This is a photo of a very friendly rice farmer on the rice terraces of Tegalalang in Ubud, Bali. The photo was taken during a beautiful sunrise.

Farmer on the rice terraces of Tegalalang in Ubud, Bali

This is a photograph that I've taken in the jungle of Bali during a stunning sunset.

Sunset on the island of Bali

This is a picture of a great castle in Italy called Rocchetta Mattei. Built in the middle of the 19th century, it was home to Count Cesare Mattei, a self-taught doctor who founded electrohomeopathy, a practice derived from homeopathy. During the Second World War, German troops damaged the interior of the building. When the war was over, the last heir could not sell the building and offered it for free to the municipality of Bologna. They did not accept the donation. In 1959 Primo Stefanelli bought Rocchetta Mattei.

Castle between Italian Mountains

The Katskhi pillar is a natural limestone monolith located at the village of Katskhi in western Georgian region of Imereti, near the town of Chiatura. It is approximately 40 metres high, and overlooks the small river valley of Katskhura, a right affluent of the Q'virila.

Katskhi Pillar in Georgia

This is a picture of a cable car hanging halfway the cable in the middle of the city of Chiatura, Georgia. The cable cars are still used daily by miners.

Cable car in Chiatura

The Pico do Arieiro to Pico Ruivo hike is a popular route on the island of Madeira in Portugal. It is known for its breathtaking views and challenging terrain, making it a popular choice for adventurous hikers. The hike starts at Pico do Arieiro, the third-highest mountain on the island of Madeira, and takes you along a ridge to the island's highest mountain, Pico Ruivo. The trail is about 7.5 kilometres long and takes about 3-4 hours.

View of Pico Ruivo, Madeira

This is a photograph that I've taken in the amazing mountains on Madeira during sunrise.

Sunrise in the Mountains

This is a photograph that I've taken during sunrise in the beautiful mountains on the island of Madeira.

Sunrise in the Mountains on Madeira

Road in the Clouds

This is a photo of a winding and foggy road in the mountains on the beautiful island of Madeira. The road is near Pico Ruivo, one of the highest peaks on the island with wondrous natural beauty.

Foggy Road in the Mountains of Madeira

This is a photo of Madeira's coast. Many of the beaches in Madeira, and the coastline, feature these up close very large concrete blocks. Probably to slow down the water and waves somewhat. In this photo, the waves are heading for the blocks.

Waves on Madeira's Coast

That morning light on the island of Bali is just breathtaking. This is a photograph of one of the many beautiful sunrises I photographed at a rice field during my stay on this magical island.

Morning light on the island of Bali

This is a photo of Ilheus da Ribeira da Janela, a rock formation in the sea near the island of Madeira. The photo was taken while the sun was just hiding behind the mountains. The beach forms a nice vantage point on the sea, and these interesting rocks.

Rocks in the Ocean near Madeira

Water and Stone on Madeira Island

Capture of a stunning abandoned hotel complex on the island Madeira. The complex used to have 15 houses, has been abandoned for a couple of years, and is now for sale.

Abandoned Hotel Complex on Madeira

View of Ponta de Sao Lourenco on Madeira

This is a photo of a very old bridge on Madeira island.

Old bridge on Madeira island

Bali, Indonesia, is unsurprisingly one of the world’s most sought-after destinations. People love it for its stunning beaches, breathtaking nature, and scenic spots. However, it is also home to ancestral cultures and traditions that are unlike anything else. This is a photo of a beautiful sunrise at one of the many rice fiels in Bali. In the background you see a volcano in front of the clouds.