Urban exploration
Urban explorationA chance to discover the hidden world around you.
September 9, 2008
Human environment can be a lot like mazes. Both above and below ground, cities, especially very old ones, are home to interesting structures. Tunnels, sewers and old buildings wait just begging to be explored! While some of these are still in use. Many others now lay neglected and forgotten.
Urban explorer find, visit and sometimes document the unseen places around us. As urban exploration (UE) has grown in popularity, it has captured the popular imagination. Often misunderstood, UE has developed into a whole subculture, complete with web pages, newsletters, books and movies. Many major cities even have informal groups that meet or use the internet to share their adventure.
Since UE has varying levels of intensity, it is open to a diverse group of people. The Cave Clan, an Australian group, is open to anyone older than 18 and has a membership that ranges from tradespeople to government employees. The group provides a meeting place for like-minded people and encourages them to participate as much, or as little, as they are comfortable with. This might entail crawling through storm drains or may simply involve poking around old houses.
September 5 2008
The term urban exploration covers a wide range of activities. Since it is usually a hobby, practitioners often visit sites that are near their homes. As a result, urban explorers in different cities focus on examining different types of places bases on their availability.
The most popular and readily accessible destinations are often abandoned buildings. Disused factories, hospitals, and even housing developments can offer interesting glimpses into the past and make great subjects for photography. Other popular destination include obsolete military fortifications and even building destined for demolition.
Ancient European cities often lie atop networks of catacombs. These underground tunnels have served many purposes through the years. Some have acted as cemeteries and bunkers while others have sheltered revolutionaries, smugglers and religious groups. Some of the most famous catacombs, such as those in Rome, Paris and Odessa, have sections that are open for tours.
Over time, cities go through stages of growth and decline. In newer cities, which haven’t experienced such a decline, it can be difficult to find abandoned buildings. In these places, urban explorers may decide to go underground and explore the city’s storm drains or sewers.
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