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Abandoned chapel – Girl off the Trail
The chapel was built in the early 20th century. At first glance, its appearance suggests it’s a Catholic, but in reality, it belongs to the Mariavites. Mariavitism emerged from the Roman Catholic Church in 1906 and is closer to Orthodoxy Church. Currently, it’s estimated that around 20,000 people in Poland practise this religion. The chapel looks quite modest, similar to wooden constructions often seen in places like the Bieszczady Mountains. However, its discreetness is actually an advantage, allowing it to remain unnoticed. Although a lot of time has passed, the chapel makes an amazing impression. White and blue wooden walls give it a celestial character. Stained glass windows create a…
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Northern Ireland – abandoned places
From the 19th century to the early 20th century, Northern Ireland was the center of the textile industry. A reminder of these times are numerous factories that have been preserved in relatively good condition to this day. What’s more interesting, although access to these places is easy, they aren’t demolished. The only factors shaping their unique appearance are the passage of time and nature, which takes control of these places from year to year. The first industrial complex I visited was built in the 1820s. In its heyday, the main product produced in this factory was linen. This facility makes an amazing impression due to its interesting industrial architecture. Tall…
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Abandoned Cinema
The abandoned cinema used to be an important cultural and entertainment centre of the city, but today it’s falling into ruin. The building was built between 1924 and 1929. Initially, it was intended to serve as a fire brigade facility. There was a fire station along with a practice room for the orchestra. However, right after its construction, the facility was leased and operated as a cinema until World War II. At that time, theatre performances and special events were also organized there. During the war, it was taken over by the Germans and returned to the fire brigade in 1946. In the 1980s, the building was closed due to…
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Urbex – Lebanon, Girl off the trail…
Urbex (urban exploration) is a way of exploring places that are abandoned and often inaccessible. I must admit that for some time this way of sightseeing has dominated my travels. Why urbex? I could find many reasons, but what excites me the most is discovering the history of inaccessible places piece by piece and the adrenaline rush associated with it. Abandoned places are unique and there’s an exceptional beauty in their slow decay. What’s more, the time causes their constant change, which makes each visit a different experience. These are the reasons why I decided to share my discoveries with you. I start the series with Lebanon – my last…
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Armenia – places you won’t forget, part I
Armenia, a country in the shadow of Georgia is still sort of being skipped by mass tourism. Actually, it was one of the many reasons why I wanted to see it so much. I’ve been to Georgia twice and I like this country in my own perverse way, although the last visit left no illusions. Tourism in Georgia is becoming a money-making machine and it would be nothing wrong if this country was also betting on the quality of the services offered. Meanwhile, Armenia is an excellent alternative to commercial Georgia. Why is that? Firstly, I won’t hide, it’s cheap, secondly it’s close to us in a cultural way, thirdly…
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Berlin in ruins part II, Teufelsberg – Devil’s Hill
In the competition for the weirdest place in Berlin, Teufelsberg, which in translation means – Devil’s Hill is definitely on the podium. The attractiveness of Teufelsberg was initially noticed by the Nazis. Under the direction of Albert Speer – Hitler’s architect, the construction of the military academy began on this site. The investment wasn’t completed due to the war, which took most of the expenses. After the war, the Allies attempts to blow up a solid German construction, ended with covering it with the debris, transported form bombarded Berlin. As a result, a pretty large 80-meters hill – the highest point in Berlin, was created. Initially, it was considered to…
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Berlin in ruins – an invitation to after party
Finally, it’s time for a post about Berlin, but I won’t focus on charming, elegant places. On the contrary, it’s time to write about Berlin in ruins! Practical to the bone, the Germans have mastered the art of bringing back old buildings to life. A similar direction is currently seen in Warsaw, however, on a smaller scale and in a completely different way. How do Germans do it? Very simple. The resuscitation of these places has nothing to do with the German perfection. They assume, that there’s no point of changing something that is iconic itself, due to its history and unique character. Tempelhof Airport Tempelhof airport, closed since 2008…
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Belarus – 10 reasons why you should visit this country!
I’d been planning to visit Belarus for a very long time. Even though this country is located very close to Warsaw, it always seemed to me very distant. Before visiting it I heard many warnings about corruption, negative attitude to Poles or problems with crossing the border. How did it really look like? Check out 10 reasons why it’s worth visiting Belarus! 1. The Stalin Line Just 35 km from Minsk, there’s s a place where time has stopped. Bunkers, underground tunnels, trenches, weapons warehouses, command stations and large exhibition of military equipment, literally takes one back to the WWII times. This is the largest military museum in Belarus. It’s…