Photos Of Abandoned Places Around The World That Reveal The Beauty And Eeriness Of Nature's Reclamation
Nature will always find a way to nearly engulf and begin to obliterate all signs of civilization.
In Bangkok, a dead mall turned into a living pond, and in Chesapeake Bay, an entire island slowly slipped away into the tide. These are not “cute” abandoned places either, they are battlefields between human plans and nature’s stubborn comeback.
Take the New World Shopping Mall in Thailand, shut down after local authorities condemned it in 1999, then hit by fire and monsoon flooding. To stop the mosquito nightmare in the stagnant water, residents introduced koi and catfish, and somehow the fish didn’t just survive, they thrived, turning the wreck into one of the biggest urban ponds on the planet. Across the world, that same kind of complicated timeline shows up again and again.
One disaster, one eviction, one storm at a time, and nature starts writing its own ending.
An abandoned shopping mall in Bangkok, Thailand
via dailymail.co.ukThe New World Shopping Mall, left deserted since 1999, was closed down following condemnation by local authorities.
After a few years, a destructive fire ravaged its roof. Shortly after, monsoon rains inundated the lower levels.
via dailymail.co.ukTo tackle the proliferation of mosquitoes and other insects in the stagnant water, residents introduced koi and catfish to the abandoned mall.
Not only did the fish effectively address the pest issue, but they also flourished, transforming it into one of the largest urban ponds on the planet.
via dailymail.co.uk
Holland Island in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Reddit
Holland Island was once a bustling place.
Now, it is deserted, succumbing to rapid erosion. In its heyday, the island was home to approximately 360 residents. However, in 1914, the relentless forces of wind and tide initiated the erosion of its western side, where most of the population resided, compelling them to evacuate.
The image shows the final standing house from Holland Island, which tragically collapsed in 2010.
Reddit
Abandoned residences in rural Finland.
via nationalgeographic.com
Following the demise of the property owner in a fire, these cottages were left abandoned.
via nationalgeographic.com
Nature wasted no time and swiftly started reclaiming the land.
via nationalgeographic.com
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine.
ap
Since the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl power plant, the surrounding area has been entirely deserted by humans.
A 1,000-mile zone around the plant remains closed to human activity for the next 20,000 years due to residual radiation from the meltdown. In the absence of human presence, the surrounding forests of Chernobyl have gradually reclaimed the abandoned city.
It's reminiscent of a nuclear wildlife sanctuary. Take a look at these before and after pictures of the area.
via abandonedkansai.com
This was how the power plant looked in the '90s
via Kyiv Post
See this aerial photo from 2013. Notice how the forest is encroaching on the city.
Alex Cheban
Old poison gas factory in Okunoshima, Japan
littleaesthete.com
Back in World War II, the island of Okunoshima was home to several large poison gas factories.
via msn
But after the war, the factories were wrecked and left behind.
The rabbits they used for testing? Well, they were set free around the area.
And guess what? They've done pretty well for themselves, as you can see in these photos.
via gethiroshima.com
Here's a super cute video from a tourist's visit to the island.
Kolmanskop, a ghost town in Namibia.
Raymond June from Washington, D.C.
The town was a bustling diamond mining area.
But when the mines ran dry, people packed up and left in 1954.
CHRIS GRAY
Now, Mother Nature is reclaiming the place, turning it back into desert as we speak!
via ejphoto.com
Aral Desert in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan
© Arian Zwegers/Flickr
Ever wondered why there are boats in the desert? Well, believe it or not, this wasn't always a desert.
Once upon a time, it was home to the fourth largest body of water in the world.
Unknown
But due to overfishing and irrigation, that grand sea shrank down to just 10% of its original size.
What's left now? Three small lakes surrounded by a whole lot of desert. Oh, and plenty of camels roaming around too!
via Facebook
Fukushima, Japan
via observer.com
When the Fukushima nuclear disaster struck in 2011, thousands had to evacuate, leaving their pets behind—roughly 10,000 of them!
AP
There's a foundation in Japan that ensures food is brought to the city for these abandoned furry friends.
Unknown
Año Nuevo Island in California, USA.
via Flickr
Out there off the coast of Northern California sits this quaint nine-acre island.
via onegreenplanet.org
It's been deserted since the early 19th century.
And hey, this isn't the only spot where nature is taking back abandoned areas, either.
via onegreenplanet.org
And likely because it's become a prime spot for sea lions and seabirds to breed.
via lighthousefriends.com
Before the koi and catfish ever showed up, the New World Shopping Mall had already been dealt three blows, condemnation, fire, then monsoon water flooding the lower levels.
That’s when residents stepped in, tossing in koi and catfish to deal with mosquitoes and watching the abandoned mall morph into a thriving urban pond.
Meanwhile, Holland Island in Chesapeake Bay had its own countdown, erosion starting in 1914 and forcing evacuation from the western side where most people lived.
And then Chernobyl took it to another level, with a 1,000-mile no-go zone keeping humans out for 20,000 years while the forest moved in around the city.
Here are some other places reclaimed by nature.
In Berlin, Germany, there's an abandoned amusement park.
via imgur.com
Bennett College. It was abandoned in 1978.
via TheUnknownCameraman
The forest is reclaiming this house.
Unknown
No more railroad tracks. Only nature.
Unknown
A rural Pennsylvania road being reclaimed by Mother Nature.
Unknown
Nature calls—literally
via Pinterest
North Border Island (New York)
via BBC
These photos show how nature takes back what was once ours. Even the strongest of structures stand no chance against the power of time, weather, and the force of Mother Nature.
It's a reminder that in the grand scheme of things, everything returns to the Earth. If you have nature-loving friends, go tell them about this post!
The scariest part is how quickly nature turns our ruins into something that looks almost alive.
For another boundary fight, see what happened when a pet owner refused to split vet costs after a rare fish was harmed.
