The coordinates to get started in the art of 'urbex'
the mystique of abandoned places it is powerfully attractive. There is something magnetic in going through its lonely rooms, in opening its doors from another time, in contemplating the apocalypse of civilization, even if it is on a small scale.
All this is well known by the four photographers of Abandoned Spain , experts in urban exploration or urbex , as this activity is also known, which consists of venturing into the unknown until you find buildings that have long since ceased to be in use.
But, in their case, the hobby does not end there: they also photograph the hidden gems they find, and share their adventures in Facebook , Instagram Y Youtube .
"I've been photographing abandoned places for around seven years," Fran, one of the members of Abandoned Spain, tells us. “Although at the beginning it was something punctual, in the last three years it has become my main hobby , and I try to sneak away to explore whenever I have some free time,” he explains. On their Instagram account, in which they accumulate more than 15,000 followers, They have also been selecting snapshots of other explorers for three years, who photograph, above all, buildings in our country.
“Until six months ago we only selected spanish places Although, as the location is never revealed, there was no way to be completely sure. However, at least we made sure that the explorer had other photos in his account that were from Spain. So we decided to start including photos from other countries , since many of our followers are from Latin America and other European countries, and they always asked us if there was any way to participate. Still, around 90% of the photos that we share are still from Spain”, estimates Fran.
The findings of Abandoned Spain are fascinating
In Abandoned Spain they upload, on average, one photo a day, so it is easy to infer that there are many unused properties in our geography. This is confirmed by these explorers: “Spain has a great legacy of historical heritage , and there are thousands of incredible abandoned places scattered throughout the territory. yes it is true that our industrialization was later than that of other European powers, so, in general, we have fewer 'gigantic' abandoned factories compared to countries such as Germany or the United Kingdom. The military aspect is also very important in terms of dropouts, and in Spain, above all, because of the Cantabrian Mountains , there are hundreds of bunkers, coastal batteries, barracks…”
However, no matter how many deserted properties there are, it is not easy to find them. In Abandoned Spain they find them thanks to the teamwork , and in addition, they put all their senses on alert when travel on the road or read the newspaper , in search of the clue that will lead them to the next discovery.
The Internet is another of its allies: "We spend hours track possible locations with Google Maps , which we aim to later visit to see if they are really abandoned”, the photographers point out. “If so, we see if there is any access available, but if the place is closed we discard it ; the main thing is to respect it”, they indicate.
This consideration towards heritage is one of the maxims of the urbex, as explained mumis , urban explorer with 58,000 subscribers on YouTube. Thus, the four rules by which this hobby is governed are not be seen when you enter a place, don't break any, Do not steal nothing and do not share the addresses of abandoned places with people who are not completely trustworthy. In this way, the feeling of inauguration is preserved for when the place is reached by the next explorer.
Don't break anything, don't steal anything
In fact, the feeling of walking into an uninhabited property is so powerful that Fran compares it "on a very small scale" to "what he could feel Howard Carter to the discover the mummy of Tutankhamun after 3,000 years hidden.
“The first thing that causes you is excitement and euphoria, because you feel that all the time spent has had its reward. The second thing you do is think that you are in a place that very few people have seen or that, at least, no one has visited for years, ”she recalls. And this despite the fact that they are never sure of having been the first to access the place -unless they find destruction caused by the "friends of the alien", as they call them. “It is something that cannot be known for sure. Someone may have explored it before and didn't take photos, or at least not share them."
Once those exciting initial moments pass is when the property begins to be inspected. Yes indeed, " with some nervousness ”, Because the one who seeks never knows what he will find. "That uncertainty is what makes us continue exploring and looking for new places," says the expert.
Thus, doors that make noise, windows that close or unexpected animals are usually the elements that add suspense to the expedition, although there are also occasions when the explorers find personal belongings. "Then, the first thing is to respect the person who lives there and get away from that area of the place”, they assert from Abandoned Spain.
In fact, during an exploration in a French hotel they had a little scare: "We entered through a window on the ground floor -it was the only possible access- and we began to see rotting food . As we climbed the floors, we realized that, in some rooms, there were more remains of food and clothing and tobacco, and when we reached the top floor, we found a room full of garbage . Opening the next door, we find fresh fruit, rice, pasta, a camping gas, pots, pans... and, at that moment, we began to hear noises that came from the lower floors. We were at the top, so we had no choice but to run away, because you never know how a person who surprises you inside "his house" might react. Luckily, we didn't meet anyone; maybe, listening to us, he was also afraid and hid”.
The feeling of entering an abandoned place is very powerful
A quick scan through the Abandoned Spain website sample abandoned factories, sanatoriums and psychiatric , tunnels with secrets, cursed mills, gold mines, ownerless palaces... However, the place that has impacted them the most so far is a monastery they visited about two years ago. “His library was practically intact and it had a great peculiarity, and that is that most of the books were in Swedish”, they remember.
They also have a predilection for another point of the uninhabited geography of Spain, the Canfranc International Station , "for all the history behind it and for how incredible it is to be able to walk and enter the abandoned trains that still remain on their tracks."
This last place, soon to be converted into a hotel, is much better known. Along with those collected in the map of abandoned places in Spain published by Abandoned Spain is the perfect location to get started in the art of urbex. In them we can get rid of the bug for becoming explorers ourselves, and discover, finally, why these corners cause us so much fascination.
"I think it has a lot to do with movies and television, since they always show them as dark places, with legends like 'The haunted house on the hill', and that the public, in general, is very curious. But aside from television, I think everyone likes to find out places that have stood still in time for decades and imagine the history that could have been in them before”, reflects Fran. “In the more photographic aspect, without a doubt, it attracts a lot of attention, because it is something different from what we are used to seeing; as soon as you find a good frame, the photograph will be very impressive ”.