Hidden in a small forest lays a nice abandoned wine house filled with wine bottles
Take a seat
The Horror Labs
This impressive site is a set of 19 distinct houses, pleasantly separated by courts and gardens. All the façades are neo-Renaissance flamish style.
Incorporated in 1969 to the University of Liège, the veterinary school of Cureghem loses its perd son independence. During Summer 1991, this university leaves the site to settle the heights of Sart-Tilman in Liège, where the lessons are still being taught.
The buildings, dated from early 1900′s, are at least been listed as historical monument on the 22nd February 1990. Since this relocation, the site is abandoned.
Horror Class
Urbex – Chateau Vurstjen (B)
1e Urbex trip van 2011,…verlaten tuchtschool uit de 12e eeuw,…helaas laten moderne bouwvakkers overal hun rotzooi rondslingeren,…
Chateau V
Tannerie Schotte (B)
At the end of the 19th century Pieter-Jozef Schotte starts the business together with his sons Achiel en Hippolyte. With Hipollyte in the management the company flourish in the 1930′s. A special tanning technique they use is unique in the world. This mineral tanning method uses chrome. Chrome tanning is faster than vegetable tanning and produces stretchable leather which is excellent for use in handbags and garments.
In the 1936 Schotte even opened a second tannery in Congo, Africa.
Tanning is the process of conversion of animal skin into leather. This is commonly done with the acidic compound tanning, which prevents normal decomposition and often imparts colour.
Paul Schotte takes over the management but after a tragic accident he died and left the company to his family in law. After these changes things didn’t improve for Schotte.
They went bankrupt in 1998.
Doel(loos)
Doel is een dorp in de Belgische provincie Oost-Vlaanderen en een deelgemeente van Beveren. Doel ligt in het uiterste noordoosten van de provincie, op de linkeroever van de Schelde, in de Scheldepolders van het Waasland, vlak bij de Nederlandse grens. In de Wase dialecten noemt men het dorp “Den Doel”. Doel raakte sinds de jaren zestig bekend door uitbreidingsplannen voor de haven van Antwerpen die het dorp zouden laten verdwijnen.
Shoot a crackhead
Crystal Company
In 1826 two Frenchmen bought a deserted building and opened a crystal manufactory. The cristallerie became world famous. The factory reached its pinnacle shortly before the first World War when every day all over the world more than 5000 people made about a 160.000 crystal items. The crystal vases and other decorative elements found their way to houses all over the world. The crystal was famous for its purity and exceptional brilliance.
Crystal
The depression of the 1930′s changed everything. From then on the sales kept going down and, although the Belgian government kept subsidizing the company until 1987, it never found its old glory back. A part of this ancient old glory is left abandoned, falling into decline. Some of the crystal glass [all though in bad shape] can be found in the storage buildings. Tools, glass and equipment are spread widely around the working tables, the place has a fantastic ancient feel.
Bijna,……
Het werk is in volle gang, maar het einde lijkt in zicht..
De kristallerie serie nadert zijn voltooiing…om vast een beetje in de stemming te komen;
CrystalCompany
Liège-Guillemins Railway Station
This railway station was opened in 2008 and replaced a post-war building from the 1950′s. One reviewer described the building as a railway cathedral. And it is true, the building seems to be a modern interpretation of the classic stations built during the industrial revolution. Calatrava‘s dome has equal grandeur and similar dimensions (200m long, 35m high).
The extensive use of white makes the station look not only more chicque than its 19th century predecessors; it gives the structure an airy, light-weight and almost delicate appearance. Apart from its structure, one of the most surprising aspects is the station’s nearly-complete openness towards the city centre. Where most other stations know a clear division between inside and outside, this station extends the public square right into its heart.
Coming soon,…
Traction Sud
Deep into the south of Belgium there is a huge yunkyard/graveyard full of army trucks and cars fallen into decay. This yunkyard is named “Traction Sud” and is in fact a garage for repair and reconstructing of old vehicles. The large back yard of this garage has a wide diversity of abandoned and disused army trucks and cars. There are also a lot of fire trucks and ambulances to find. Including a few red cross Volkswagens. By far the most of these trucks and cars are from the former DDR, as you can recognize by the old DDR logo’s. Some of the trucks are placed in a strategic way into the open fields, others are randomly parked under the trees and a few of them are totally covered into the bush.
Beatles
All though most of the engines are damaged and that there is no petrol loaded, some of them still have the starting keys into the igniter. It’s fascinated to see these army trucks into the bush, green on green. As far as my knowledge goes, i have seen; Tatra 813, Magirus-Deutz crane trucks, Volkswagen Beetles, GMC M-135 and Daimler-Benz.
As you can expect the owner of the yunkyard is not happy with the attraction of urban explorers. It’s supposed to stay hidden and uncovered into the bush. Hopefully the camouflage will do!
Coming soon,…
Chateau Noisy / Miranda
Hidden into the forests of the Ardennen lies the admirable castle Château de Miranda. The château is built in 1866 and has been designed by the English architect Milner, although the architect died before the building was completed.
The castle has had several tasks. During the Ardennen offensive in World War II, the château was briefly occupied by German troops. As from 1950 the NMBS/SNCB (Belgium railway company) has used the castle as a holiday home. It gave shelter to the children, who suffer from worse health conditions. After 1970 it was used for outdoor activities and sport holidays for children and was well known in Belgium. And in October 1975 it served also as film scenery for a TV production. Since 1991 it has became empty, abandoned and is the Chateau Noisy quickly falling in ruins since…
Car Graveyard – Châtillon
One of the oldest villages in Belgium, is surrounded with two abandoned car graveyards. The first graveyard is relative small and is linked to the backgarden of some local houses. These cars are from the 60′ties until the early 80′ties. It’s a mixed diversity from European and American manufacture. It looks almost of these cars are dumped roughly, smashed next to each other.
Nature taking over
Over time corrosion and decay have created some beautiful structures, from some of them only the basic construction is left behind. Châtillon gives me the feeling that this graveyard will exist for many more years, known that the little village is ancient and peace full. Châtillon “part XL” contains older and more decayed cars, those cars are abandoned by American soldiers.
Fort de la Chartreuse – Liège (B)
This fort was built in 1817 by the Dutch to protect the city of Liège. This fort is part of the fortifications line along the river Meuse. In these days Belgium didn’t exist, it splits from Holland in 1830. The fort is since than used as barracks for the Belgium army.
During WWI Chartreuse was used as a prison for hundreds of Belgians who tried to resist. 49 people were executed and buried on the site. After this war the fort was used as barracks again. Buildings were added and over 2000 soldiers were based.
LaChartreuse
During WWII the fort was used by the German army. Even the Americans used Chartreuse, from 1945-1955, the fort operated as the 28th U.S. Army General Hospital.
Chartreuse was abandoned in 1982. Part of the fort was demolished in February 2006, and the future of the other buildings is uncertain. There are plans to reconvert the place.
Photo’s are in development, please stay tuned.
Begraven in vergetelheid,..
Begraafplaats Psychiatrisch Ziekenhuis te Rekem (Belgie);
De 2e maal dat ik hier ben geweest,.. de 1e keer heb ik een foto of 250 gemaakt, Vinnie mee,.. dikke stress, gemeente werken is 4 keer langsgereden,.. Vinnie ongeduldig,. statief in de auto,..effe snel foto’s maken,..thuisgekomen, Vinnie in de hoek gezet,. pc aan, photomatix opgestart, eerste HDR set geimporteerd,..waardeloos?!?!,.. WTF?,.. beetje prutsen met de knopjes,.. Bagger,. prullebak. 2e set HDR’s,.. valt me niks meer in,. prutswerk, vet overbelicht en onscherp,..g@dv!*&%#&!*!^#*!&#. Snel over naar Lightroom,.. RAW convertor aan het werk gezet,..Que?!?!? weer shit,.. 2 dagen gepiekerd en geprutst,… precies 0 foto’s waren bruikbaar,.. nul, noppes, niks, nada, rien, nakkes,….wat blijkt??… bij het extracten van de DSLR en de 10mm Groothoek is de switch voor focus op manueel geschakeld,,.. en ik domme ezel had niks in de gaten,.. alles op 40cm en F4 gefotografeerd,.. dat gebeurd een beginner nog niet eens,…
Grave
Niet getreurd (of wel natuurlijk) snel weer terug,… en nu voorbereid,.. zon schijnt, wat ideaal lijkt maar niet is,…blijkt achteraf.
Volle accu, bijna lege CF, lens gemonteerd, statief mee,..vol gas naar Rekem., Auto pontificaal voor de ingang geparkeerd zodat het niet zo opvalt dat je daar bezig bent terwijl dat niet de bedoeling is,… aan het werk.
Foto 1,.. check,.. van de P stand af, Diafragma verkleint, histogram gecheckt op overbelichting,… hmmm,.. nioet optimaal,.. de zon speelt me parten. Donker bos met een felle belichte hemel,. dat trekt een groothoek niet.. fotootje of 100, gewoon en AEB gemaakt,.. slecht gevoel bij,..LensWissel !,…
Grave
De 24-105 gemonteerd,…Jawel,…. nu hebben we iets in handen,.. we ontspannen langzaam, kaart half vol,.. niet opgepakt door de gendarmerie,. het is nu al niet voor niets. Dit werkt, rust. Nu straalt zo’n plek als dit al behoorlijk wat rust uit,.. maar de creatieve geest komt pas na een 45 min. tot rust. We gaan verder,… We kijken nu naar wat we echt op de foto willen zetten en hoe,. Composities verbeteren, scherpte-diepte variaties worden toegepast, uitsnedes worden bedacht en tegenlicht ontweken,.het rolletje is vol. 268 foto’s gaan mee voor verdere bewerking. Nog steeds geen pliesie te zien.. spulletjes inpakken en wegwezen.
Grave
Thuis aangekomen, aan het werk,… Photomatix gestart,…3 RAW’s geimporteerd voor tonemapping………….. spanning stijgt,…………………
F@CK !,… weer overbelichtings problemen,…..ik draai door,…
Nu is er nog wel van alles te redden,.. ze zijn wel scherp,. en met de juiste settings is het toch nog de moeite. De serie met de 24-105 is wel ok. Les 1,… geen groothoek voor grote contrasten inzetten,.. en HDR alleen waar het echt nodig is.
Na een dag of 5 bijna full-time te hebben ge-Lightroomed, ge-Photoshopped, ge-Silver Efexed en ge-Photomatixed houden we een fotootje of 110 over,… we zijn tevreden.
Grave
Veel plezier,….. (als het teveel wordt kun je ook in 2 of 5 keer kijken,……).
Ps,.. op sommige foto’s (goed zoeken) zijn vreemde wazige vlekken te zien,… nu ben ik alles behalve gelovig,..maar ze zijn wel vreemd,…zeker op een dergelijke locatie,….en het ziet er niet uit alsof het aan de camera kan liggen,…
