I have a deep fascination with grandiose, abandoned buildings. They seem to hold such mystery and mystique. Growing up I constantly daydreamed about the castle in Beauty and the Beast and the magical garden in The Secret Garden. There's something that just seems so romantic about a beautiful space, tucked away and long forgotten like a hidden gem. I often dream of coming across such a space, wandering through it and exploring its secrets, then perhaps completely renovating it, restoring it to its old beauty and injecting it with new energy. My fascination with these decaying beautiful spaces has reached the extent that now, whenever we come across an especially decrepit (or in one case, burnt down!) building, my husband always jokingly points it out saying, 'Look Shar, it's your dream house!'
Needless to say, my head was swirling with romantic imagery when I saw this ornate, abandoned railway station in Abkhazia, a former Russian territory, left completely untouched since the fall of the Soviet Union. If these walls could talk, no doubt they'd have a fascinating story to share.
{All photos: English Russia, discovered via - thanks Louise!}
15 comments:
It looks like an elf palace from Lord of the Rings :)
Its stunning...Such a beautiful place:)...If the wall could talk...so true:)
Kisses
Thank you!! I know exactly what you mean. I've always been intrigued by lovely old building that have been abandonned. That's why I like "The Secret Garden" as a girl. I also love reading about Miss Haversham's crumbling mansion in Dicken's "Great Expectations"
magnificent abandoned houses attract me, but also scare me! brrr... I'm such a chicken, ha!
Lovely! This would be an awesome place to have a dance photo shoot.
Haha - the elf palace was probably my favourite thing in Lord of the Rings! :)
So glad you felt the same, I'd actually thought about including Miss Havisham's mansion when I was writing, but then re-thought the creepy mice and mold infested aspect and didn't want people to think I was into the macabre side of things. I did find it so interesting though, and tragically romantic - think of her in her wedding dress, all those years...
DB - as only a keen dancer's eye could see, it most certainly would be a spectacular site for a dance photo shoot!
Oh, I so understand your obsession. I can sometimes weep with the longing of wanting to know all about the home, its past & its inhabitants....beautiful!
Reminds me a little of the King of the Ape's old palace from Jungle Book.... :)
GORGEOUS!! Great place to have a wedding...
So incredibly magical and surreal. I agree, this would be an amazing venue for a wedding. Decay can be beautiful especially when nature has a hand. Thanks for sharing.
What a place!
I'm like you - I dream over places like this and imagine what it would have been liken back in the day..
For sure this place has experienced so much - good, bad, tragic and romantic.
I wonder when the last person left the place.. That one day when they just moved out and never came back. When the first vine climbed the walls and the garden started to embrace the amazing palace that once was..
x C
I have always been intrigued by old buildings, that's one of the reasons I went into Architecture. They just seem to tell a story. I always think about who used them, how they were used.... they are so full of life!!
Like you and anonymous, I am completely taken! I still watch "The Secret Garden" for the magic of a hidden place... thank you so much for sharing these, Sharalee! I think this is one of my most favorite posts, ever :)
xoxo
This is just beautiful! Do you know who lived there? I am imagining a party with ladies in beautiful evening gowns dancing.
Isn't it dreamy?
And hey - Thanks so much for the shout out!
xLou