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{{Short description|Exploration of usually hidden or abandoned buildings and structures}}
], under ].]]
{{redirect2|Urban explorer|urban explorers}}
{{redirect|Urbex|the documentary series|URBEX – Enter At Your Own Risk}}
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{{Original research|date=December 2021}}
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'''Urban exploration''' (often shortened as '''UE''', '''urbex,''' and sometimes known as ]<ref>{{cite book |title=Access All Areas: A User's Guide to the Art of Urban Exploration |year=2005 |page=223 |author=] |publisher=Infilpress |isbn=9780973778700 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JhJjAAAAMAAJ&q=%22roof+and+tunnel+hacking%22 |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref>) is the exploration of manmade structures, usually abandoned ruins or hidden components of the manmade environment. Photography and historical interest/documentation are heavily featured in the hobby, sometimes involving trespassing onto private property.<ref name="SFGATE_062008">{{cite news|title=The Art of Urban Exploration|last=Nestor|first=James|date=19 August 2007|work=San Francisco Chronicle|access-date=20 June 2008|url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/08/19/CMA4QVBMQ.DTL}}</ref> Urban exploration is also called '''draining''' (a specific form of urban exploration where storm drains or sewers are explored),<ref>{{cite news |title=Forgive us our tresspasses |first=Seth |last=Stevenson |newspaper=] |location=London |date=15 October 2000 |page=105 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108705598/draining-urban-exploration/ |access-date=31 August 2022}}</ref> '''urban spelunking''',<ref>{{cite news |title=Storm drains vital for a rainy day, but at times they're overwhelmed |first=Sheridan |last=Lyons |newspaper=] | date=6 July 1981 |page=32 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/108537645/storm-drains-vital-for-a-rainy-day-but/ |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref> '''urban rock climbing''',<ref>{{cite news |first=Michael |last=Scott |date=1 March 1993 |title=Hacking the Material World |magazine=] |volume=1 |number=3 |url=https://www.wired.com/1993/03/tunnelers/ |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref> '''urban caving''',<ref>{{cite news |title=Circling the Drain |first=David |last=Lipin |magazine=] |date=January 1997 |volume=42 |number=1 |page=18 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wF0EAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA18 |access-date=29 August 2022}}</ref> '''building hacking''', or '''].'''


The activity presents various risks, including physical danger, the possibility of arrest and punishment if done illegally and/or without permission, and the risk of encountering ]. Some activities associated with urban exploration may violate local or regional laws, certain broadly interpreted ], or can be considered trespassing or invasion of privacy. Encountering ], who are unauthorized occupants in abandoned or unmonitored properties, can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations.
'''Urban exploration''', '''urbex''' or '''UE''', is the examination of the normally unseen or off-limits parts of human civilization. Urban exploration is also commonly referred to as ''infiltration,'' although some people consider infiltration to be more closely associated with the exploration of active or inhabited sites. In the USA, it may also be referred to as "draining" (when exploring drains) "urban spelunking", and "urban caving", "]", or "]".


==Exploration sites==
==Targets of exploration==
]

Urban explorers often attempt some or all of these subsets of urban exploration.


===Abandonments=== ===Abandonments===
Ventures into abandoned structures are perhaps the most common example of urban exploration. Many sites are entered first by locals and may have ] or other kinds of ], while others are better preserved. Although targets of exploration vary from one country to another, high-profile abandonments include ], ]s, ], ], ]s, ], ]s, ], ], ], outmoded and abandoned ]s, ], and ]s.


In Japan, abandoned infrastructure is known as {{nihongo3||廃墟|haikyo}} (literally "ruins"), and the term is synonymous with the practice of urban exploration.<ref>{{cite web | first = Michael | last = Gakuran | title = The Hazards of Haikyo and Urban Exploration | date = 23 March 2010 | url = http://gakuran.com/the-hazards-of-haikyo-and-urban-exploration/ | access-date = 21 June 2011}}</ref> {{nihongo3|||Haikyo}} are particularly common in Japan because of its rapid industrialization (e.g., ]), damage during ], the ], and the ].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tokyoweekender.com/2010/05/haikyo-abandoned-treasure/|title=Haikyo: Abandoned Treasure|work=Weekender|date=May 2010|access-date=18 November 2010}}</ref>
], ].]]
]
Ventures into abandoned structures are perhaps the most common example of urban exploration. Abandoned sites are generally entered first by locals, and often sport large amounts of ] and other vandalism. Explorers face various risks in abandoned structures including collapsing roofs and floors, broken glass, guard dogs, the presence of chemicals, other harmful substances, most notably, ], and sometimes motion detectors. Some explorers wear respirators to protect their airways.
In ], a large underground facility abandoned since 1992 is ], situated under the {{Lang|sh|]|italic=no}} mountain, near the city of ]. It was the largest ] ] and ] in the ], and one of the largest in Europe. The complex contains tunnels in total length of 3.5 km (2.2 mi), and other large facilities. Nowadays, it is popular for urban exploration, although it is risky due to the possibility of anti-personnel landmines being located in unexplored areas, remnants from 1990s ].<ref>{{cite web |title=Zeljava Airbase |url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/zeljava-airbase |accessdate=27 April 2017 |publisher=]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=June 17, 1968 |title=Underground Aircraft Dispersal Bihac Airfield, Yugoslavia 44-50N 015-47E |url=https://nsarchive2.gwu.edu/NSAEBB/NSAEBB439/docs/Underground-Doc4.pdf |access-date=28 July 2022 |work=] |via=nsarchive2.gwu.edu}}</ref><ref name="lybi">{{cite web |title=Zeljava-jna_jedinice |url=http://www.zeljava-lybi.com/opis_eng.html |accessdate=27 April 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>


Many explorers find the decay of uninhabited space profoundly beautiful, and some are also proficient freelance photographers who document what they see, such as those who document the ] of the former ].<ref>{{cite news|last=Shevchenko|first=Vitaly|title=The urban explorers of the ex-USSR|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26018424|access-date=12 February 2014|publisher=BBC|date=11 February 2014}}</ref>
Exploration targets vary from one country to another, but some of the more popular or high-profile abandonments include ]s, ]s, ]s, ]s, and ]s.


Abandoned sites are also popular among ], ], ], ], ], and ].
Most, if not all explorers of abandonments find the decay of uninhabited spaces to be beautiful; many of these explorers are also photographers. Some abandonments are heavily guarded with motion sensors and active security. Others are more easily accessible and carry less risk of discovery. Abandonments are also popular among history buffs, ']s,' ']' and fans of ] art.


===Active buildings=== ===Active buildings===
] inside an abandoned limestone quarry in ].]]

Another aspect of urban exploration is the practice of exploring active or ''in use'' buildings. This includes seeing secured or "member-only" areas, mechanical rooms, roofs, elevator rooms, and other normally unseen parts of such buildings. The term 'infiltration' is often associated with the exploration of active structures. Another aspect of urban exploration is the practice of exploring active or ''in use'' buildings, which includes gaining access to secured or "member-only" areas, mechanical rooms, roofs, elevator rooms, abandoned floors, and other normally unseen parts of working buildings. The term "infiltration" is often associated with exploring active structures. People entering restricted areas may be committing trespass, and ] prosecution may result.


===Catacombs=== ===Catacombs===
]
] such as those found in ], ] and ] have been investigated by urban explorers. The catacombs under Paris, for instance, have been considered the "]" by some due to their extensive nature and history.
] such as those found in ],<ref>{{cite map|url=https://www.pdf-maps.com/maps/105662/paris-underground-map/|title=Paris Underground Map|publisher=Michel-Eugène Lefébure de Fourcy|year=1841}}</ref> ], ], and ] have been investigated by urban explorers. Some consider the ], comprising many of the tunnels that are not open to public tours, including the catacombs, the "]" due to their extensive nature and history. Explorers of these spaces are known as ]s.


===Sewers and storm drains=== ===Sewers and storm drains===
]]]
Entry into ]s, or "draining", is another common form of urban exploration. Groups devoted to the task have arisen, such as the ] and Darkside in ]. Draining has a specialized set of guidelines, the foremost of which is "When it rains, no drains!", because the dangers of becoming entrapped, washed away, or killed increase dramatically during heavy rainfall.


A small subset of explorers enter ]s. Sometimes they are the only connection to caves or other subterranean features. Sewers are among the most dangerous locations to explore owing to the risk of poisoning by buildups of toxic gas (commonly ], ], or ]). Sewers can contain viruses, ], ], and ]. Protective equipment is recommended for people who enter sewers.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Water |first=Municipal Sewer and |date=2020-06-22 |title=How to Keep Sewer Workers Safe |url=https://www.mswmag.com/editorial/2020/07/how-to-keep-sewer-workers-safe |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=Municipal Sewer and Water |language=en}}</ref>
Entry into ]s, or ''draining'', is another common form of UE. Groups devoted to the task have arisen, such as the ] in ]. Draining has a specialized set of guidelines, the foremost of which is "When it rains, no drains."

A small subset of explorers enter sanitary sewers. Sometimes they are the only connection to caves or other subterranean feature. Sewers are among the most dangerous locations to explore.


===Transit tunnels=== ===Transit tunnels===
] D6 line in ], Russia]]

The subset of urban exploration deals with exploring active and abandoned subway and underground railway tunnels and bores. Since these are in major cities, they carry stiff penalties if one should be caught while trespassing in these, especially after the ]. As a result, this type of exploration is rarely publicised. Although they exist worldwide, those who partake in this often reside near ], ], ], ] and ], along with many other major cities throughout the world. Exploring active and abandoned subway and railway tunnels, bores, and ] is often considered trespassing and can result in civil prosecution due to security concerns. As a result, this type of exploration is rarely publicized. An exception to this is the abandoned ], the only American city with an abandoned subway system that was once operational. The ] is also abandoned but was never completed. ] has a number of stations on the ] network that have been closed over the years, with ] a popular location for explorers.


===Utility tunnels=== ===Utility tunnels===
{{main|Utility tunnel}}
] in the center of ], Switzerland]]


] and other large institutions, such as hospitals, often distribute steam for heating buildings from a central heating plant. These steam ducts are generally run through utility tunnels, which are often accessible solely for the purposes of maintenance. Many of these steam tunnels, such as those on college campuses, often also have a tradition of exploration by students. This was once called ] at ], though students there now refer to it as ]. Universities, and other large institutions, such as hospitals, often distribute hazardous ] for heating or cooling buildings from a ]. These pipes are generally run through utility tunnels, which are often intended to be accessible solely for the purposes of maintenance. Nevertheless, many of these steam tunnels, especially those on college campuses, have a tradition of exploration by students. This practice was once called "vadding" at the ], but students there now call it ].


Some steam tunnels have dirt floors, poor lighting and temperatures above {{convert|45|C|F}}. Others have concrete floors, bright light, and more moderate temperatures. Most steam tunnels have large intake fans to bring in the fresh air and push the hot air out the back, and these may start without warning. Most active steam tunnels do not contain airborne ], but proper breathing protection may be required for other respiratory hazards. Experienced explorers are very cautious inside active utility tunnels since pipes can spew boiling hot water or steam from leaky valves or pressure relief blow-offs. Often there are puddles of muddy water on the floor, making slips and falls a special concern near hot pipes.
Steam tunnels in general have been getting more secure in recent years, due to their use for carrying network backbones and perceived risk of their use in terrorist activities, safety and liability.


Steam tunnels have generally been secured more heavily in recent years due to their frequent use for carrying communications network backbone cables, increased safety and liability concerns, and perceived risk of use in terrorist activities.
Some steam tunnels have dirt floors, no lighting and can have temperatures upwards of 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46° C). Others have concrete floors, bright light, and can even be quite nice and feature a cool temperature. Most steam tunnels have large intake fans to bring in fresh air, and push all of the hot air out the back.

== Ethics ==

Most urban explorers understand the risks that they face if caught while ] or ]. The crime is generally seen as a means to an end, however, rather than being the focal point of the hobby. There are some urban explorers that tend to stick to a basic set of "ethical practices" out of respect for the locations that they visit, as well as for any other explorers who may want to visit later. The hobby, however, is still ultimately an unstructured one, and there are rarely two explorers who share the same views on ethics. As such, there are many exceptions to these "practices".

To some, the idea behind these "ethical practices" is to leave buildings in the same state that they were in before they were visited. The common, but not always entirely accurate catchphrase for this ethical standpoint is the ] motto: ''"take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints."'' Some try and adhere to this motto which frowns heavily upon ], ], ], ], and any other crime except for ].

Some explorers, though, remove items from abandoned sites to preserve them or to keep as ]s. More often than not, these explorers save these items from further decay or destruction when a location has become a target of ] or is being demolished.

Another counterpoint to the "leave no trace" ethic is tagging. Graffiti in drains is sometimes condoned or encouraged as long as ]s and other features aren't damaged. Drainers may use it to indicate how far down the drain a given explorer has been. Similarly, tags may be left in very inaccessible places such as inside false ceilings, at the tops of elevator shafts, and so on.

Some locations contain a small area reserved for leaving tags, known as a ''guest book''. These vary from actual books to blackboards to pieces of scrap metal or wood, or even the dust on an old piece of machinery. Rarely, employee guestbooks will be found, made before the business in question closed. Tags, especially those left in guest books, are sometimes referred to as "sign-ins", and the process of leaving them is "signing in". In marked contrast to the values of mainstream U.S. urban graffiti, tags are generally made to be unobtrusive, being written in conventional or slightly enlarged handwriting with pens or markers rather than larger markings made with paint.

As with many other cases of ethical principles, it is primairly up to the individual to make their own decisions based on their viewpoints and their current situation.


==Popularity== ==Popularity==
The rise in urban exploration's popularity can be attributed to increased media attention. Recent television shows such as ''Urban Explorers'' on the ], '']'', and the '']'' exploits of ] have packaged the hobby for a popular audience. The fictional film ''After...'' (2006), a hallucinatory thriller set in Moscow's underground subways, features urban explorers caught up in extreme situations. Talks and exhibits on urban exploration have appeared at the fifth and sixth ] Conference, complementing numerous newspaper articles and interviews.
] in ]. It offers tours to the public.]]
The rise in the popularity of urban exploration can be attributed to its increased media attention. Recent television shows, such as "Urban Explorers" on the ], ], and the ] have packaged the hobby for a popular audience; interviews, such as on "New Morning" on the ], look more closely at the everyday aspects of the activity <ref>Digital, Mike. "Whispers from the Past." New Morning. Hallmark Channel. 19 Apr. 2006. 31 July 2006 .</ref>. Talks and exhibits on urban exploration have appeared at the 5th and 6th ] Conference, complementing numerous newspaper articles and interviews. With the advent rise in the relative popularity of the hobby due to this increased focus, there has been increasing discussion on whether the extra attention has been benefical to urban exploration as a whole <ref>Last NINE. "Infiltration/UER in the news again." Online posting. 27 July 2006. Urban Exploration Resource. 31 July 2006 .</ref> <ref>"Re: UE news story on Fox." Online posting. 17 Feb. 2006. Urban Exploration Resource. 31 July 2006 .</ref>.


Another source of popular information is '']'', a documentary series that ran for three seasons on the ] starting in 2007. This series roamed around the world, showing little-known underground structures in remote locales and right under the feet of densely packed city-dwellers. Websites for professional and hobby explorers have been developed to share tips and locations.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Mele|first=Christopher|date=2020-07-27|title=Urban Explorers Give Modern Ruins a Second Life|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/27/us/abandoned-properties-to-explore.html|access-date=2020-08-16|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
The growing popularity of the activity has resulted not just in increased attention from explorers, but also from vandals and law enforcement. The illicit aspects of urban exploring, which may include trespassing and breaking and entering, have brought along with them critical articles in mainstream newspapers. In one recent article <ref>Jacks, Jason. "Going in where others broke out." Times Community 26 July 2006. 31 July 2006 .</ref>, web-postings and photographs from the web-site were cited as evidence that explorers were trespassing in a closed prison in ]. Users had posted specific details on entry points and how "easy" it was to gain entry to the disused facility <ref>"Lorton Prison." Online posting. 8 Oct. 2005. Urban Exploration Resource. 31 July 2006 .</ref>.


With the rise in the hobby's popularity, there has been increasing discussion of whether the extra attention has been beneficial.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-03-18 |title=Urban explorers risking lives and arrest for social media glory, say experts |url=http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/18/urban-explorers-arrest-social-media-base-jumper-free-running-parkour |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}</ref>
In that regard, some explorers have become wary of posting information and photographs on UE-related websites for fear of being prosecuted for trespassing. Two popular web-sites, and , have been locked in argument about the structure of urban exploration web-sites. UER has an open forum and a database of abandonments and active "infiltrations", while Deggi5's forum is open only to those that the moderators know personally. Additionally, arguments focus on whether online listings of explorable structures undermine the "underground" aspect of urban exploration. <ref>Greenburg, Andy. "Caught in their own web." DragonFire 26 July 2006. 31 July 2006 .</ref> <ref>Cahal, Sherman. "Have we started pandering to the tourists?" Online posting. 11 May 2006. Abandoned. 31 July 2006 .</ref>


== Legality ==
Along with the rise in the popularity of urban exploring, numerous events have been hosted throughout the world. These organized meetings have included campouts, barbeques, day-long explorations, and tours of active and abandoned sites. While most of these are illegal in the sense that they involve trespassing or breaking and entering, a handful of meets, such as a recent event held at the ], involve tours or lock-ins. Others include UE-related gatherings, such as a meet held by an urban explorer who calls himself Shiroi in which stunts were performed in an abandoned structure <ref>"Shiroi Meet Simplified." Online posting. 2 Aug. 2006. Urban Exploration Resource. 3 Aug. 2006 .</ref>. This has received mixed criticism from the urban exploration community<ref>"Shiroi Meet '07." Online posting. 21 June 2006. Urban Exploration Resource. 31 July. 2006 .</ref>.
] fortress in ], Finland]]
]. On the right is a corridor leading to the bunker complex, and on the left is the "mushroom tunnel".]]
The activity's growing popularity has resulted in increased attention not just from explorers but also from vandals and law enforcement. The illicit aspects of urban exploring, which may include ] and ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/tyne/content/articles/2008/08/19/urban_explorer_feature.shtml |title=Urban exploration - Richard Shepherd photographs derelict buildings in the North East and further afield. |publisher=BBC Tyne, Broadcasting Centre |date=20 August 2008 |access-date=23 April 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2020-04-17 |title=Urban exploration: the threat to business |url=https://citysecuritymagazine.com/risk-management/urban-exploration-the-threat-to-business/ |access-date=2022-12-09 |website=City Security Magazine |language=en-GB}}</ref> have had critical attention in mainstream newspapers.<ref name="PPG_062008">{{cite news|title=Urban explorers dare to investigate seldom-seen Pittsburgh sites|date=7 September 2003|last=Batz|first=Bob Jr.|work=]|access-date=20 June 2008|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/lifestyle/20030907explore0907fnp1.asp}}</ref>


In ], lawyers for the Roads and Traffic Authority of ] shut down the Sydney ]'s website after they raised concerns that the portal could "risk human safety and threaten the security of its infrastructure".<ref name="PPG_062008"/> Another website belonging to the Bangor Explorers Guild was criticized by the ] for encouraging behavior that "could get someone hurt or killed".<ref name="PPG_062008"/> ], called for an "end" to rooftop photography in 2016, citing similar concerns about the possibility of death or injury.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Edge walkers: police call for end to 'rooftopping' before it's too late {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/2489263/edge-walkers-police-call-for-end-to-rooftopping-before-its-too-late/ |access-date=2022-12-10 |website=Global News |date=7 November 2015 |language=en-US}}</ref> The ] has used the Internet to crimp subway tunnel explorations, going as far as to send investigators to various explorers' homes.<ref name="PPG_062008"/>
==In the media==
===Books===


], who authored ''Infiltration'', writes that genuine urban explorers "never vandalize, steal or damage anything". The thrill comes from "discovery and a few nice pictures".<ref name="PPG_062008"/> Some explorers also request permission for entry in advance.<ref name="legal">{{cite news |last=Ebaster |first=Al |date=19 September 2007 |title=Legal Urban Exploration: 7 Tips for Visiting Historical Abandonments |publisher=Web Urbanist |url=http://weburbanist.com/2007/09/19/legal-urban-exploration-7-tips-for-visiting-historical-abandonments/}}</ref>
Many urban exploration books are available, including:


== Hazards ==
* ] (2005). ''Access All Areas: A user's guide to the art of urban exploration.'' PO Box 13, Station E, Toronto, ON M6H 4E1 Canada: Infilpress. ISBN 0-9737787-0-9
] are not designed with human access as their primary use and can be subject to ]ing and bad air.
* Wand, Eku and Arnold, Dietmar (2000). ''Berlin im Untergrund: Potsdamer Platz.'' Eku interactive e.K., Berlin, Germany. ISBN 3-935709-02-1
* Deyo, L.B. and Leibowitz, David "Lefty". ''Invisible Frontier: Exploring the tunnels, ruins & rooftops of hidden New York.'' Three Rivers Press. ISBN 609809318 {{Please check ISBN|609809318 (too short)}}
* ]. ''New York Underground: The Anatomy of a City.'' Routledge. ISBN 0-415-95013-9
* The Urban Adventure Handbook. Ten Speed Press.


Many abandoned structures have hazards such as unstable structures, unsafe floors, broken glass, ], entrapment hazards, or unknown chemicals and other harmful substances (most notably ]). Other risks include freely roaming ]s and hostile ]s. Some abandoned locations may be heavily guarded by ]s and active security patrols, while others are more easily accessible and carry less risk of discovery.<ref>{{cite news |title=Abandoned beauties: Urban explorers find adventure in ruins of old buildings |date=5 December 2004 |last=Owen |first=Mary |work=] |access-date=27 July 2009 |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041205/news_mz1h5abandon.html}}</ref>
The following two photography books by Chilean-born, New York–based photographer and documentarian ] are not explicitly about urban exploration, but Mr. Vergara uses many of the same techniques as urban explorers to gain access to the abandoned buildings which he photographs to document their decay.


=== Deaths from urban exploration ===
* ]. "American Ruins". Monacelli. ISBN 1-58093-056-5
{| class="wikitable sortable"
* ]. "The New American Ghetto". Rutgers University Press. ISBN 0-8135-2331-1
! scope="col" |Date
!Location
! scope="col" class="unsortable" |Description
|-
|{{dts|June 2008}}
|{{flagicon|Canada}} ]
|A 26-year-old man died in hospital two days after falling off a catwalk at the abandoned Richard L. Hearn Thermal Generating Station in Toronto. The man entered the building with a friend intending to take "artistic photographs" of the building.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reinhart |first1=Anthony |title=Urban explorer pays for his hobby with his life |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/urban-explorer-pays-for-his-hobby-with-his-life/article17988047/ |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref>


|-
Fiction:
|{{dts|26 April 2009}}
* Urban explorers (termed "creepers") and their culture are at the core of the thriller Creepers by well-known author David Morrell.
|{{flagicon|USA}} ]
|A man was inside a tunnel along the Mississippi river when it began to rain heavily, and the rain swept him down the tunnel to the river. The man was found in the river and later died in hospital, having drowned.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.rivertowns.net/news/938252-woodbury-man-dies-after-being-swept-river-while-exploring|title=Woodbury man dies after being swept into river while exploring|date=26 April 2009|work=RiverTown News|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708015306/https://www.republicaneagle.com/news/woodbury-man-dies-after-being-swept-into-river-while-exploring/article_cffce747-6b35-5236-8a4d-c2c976226c8f.html|archive-date=8 July 2021|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.startribune.com/man-dies-another-rescued-in-drama-along-mississippi-river/43744557/?refresh=true|title=Man dies, another rescued in drama along Mississippi River|author=Heron Marquez Estrada|date=26 April 2009|work=Star Tribune|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708015342/https://www.startribune.com/man-dies-another-rescued-in-drama-along-mississippi-river/43744557/?refresh=true|archive-date=8 July 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>


|-
===Magazines===
|{{dts|June 2013}}
<!-- (seicer 05.28.06) Please do not add magazines that are not published regularly or on a basis that can not be considered consistant (e.g. 'once in a while as I see fit' is not a valid excuse). Magazines can be either online or offline but must fall under the defination of a magazine and must be wide enough to cater to a large audience. This is to be as specific as possible and not include every web-site that may publish a UE related article and consider itself to be a blog or a zine.
|{{flagicon|Russia}} ]
|It is thought that a 9-year-old boy fell {{convert|6|m}} from a spiral staircase to the ground inside the ruins of ] and died from his injuries.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://klops.ru/news/Proisshestvija/72814/V-Nemane-9letnij-maljcik-upal-s-lestnicy-razrusennoj-kreposti-i-pogib.html|title=In Neman, a 9-year-old boy fell from the stairs of a destroyed fortress and died|date=17 June 2013|work=klops|access-date=25 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125043205/https://klops.ru/news/Proisshestvija/72814/V-Nemane-9letnij-maljcik-upal-s-lestnicy-razrusennoj-kreposti-i-pogib.html|archive-date=25 November 2020|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/incidents/2078249-v-nemane-politsiya-obnaruzhila-trup-9letnego-malchika.html|title=In Neman, the police found the corpse of a 9-year-old boy|date=17 June 2020|work=new Kaliningrad|access-date=12 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730160412/http://www.newkaliningrad.ru/news/incidents/2078249-v-nemane-politsiya-obnaruzhila-trup-9letnego-malchika.html|archive-date=30 July 2013|url-status=live}}</ref>


|-
NOTES:
|{{dts|21 March 2015}}
Alphabetize the links.
|{{flagicon|Australia}} ]
-->
|A man was kayaking through a storm water drain when he became trapped by rising water from heavy rain and drowned.<ref>{{Cite news
* : A Canadian Urban Exploration magazine focusing mainly on Western Canada.
|url=https://www.byronnews.com.au/news/man-exploring-brisbane-city-tunnels-dies-heavy-sto/2582781/|title=Man exploring Brisbane city tunnels dies in heavy storm|date=23 March 2015|work=Byron Shire News|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=24 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124183003/https://www.byronnews.com.au/news/man-exploring-brisbane-city-tunnels-dies-heavy-sto/2582781/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/man-exploring-brisbane-city-tunnels-dies-in-heavy-storm/news-story/8895be7155e45d1b7bf65beb5a6e64d3|title=Man exploring Brisbane city tunnels dies in heavy storm|date=23 March 2015|work=The Courier Mail|access-date=7 July 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707074711/https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/sunshine-coast/man-exploring-brisbane-city-tunnels-dies-in-heavy-storm/news-story/8895be7155e45d1b7bf65beb5a6e64d3|archive-date=7 July 2021}}</ref>
* : Australian draining magazine.
* : United States urban exploration magazine.


|-
===Movies===
|{{dts|12 January 2017}}
<!-- Let's keep short films and documentaries out of this section. Major film releases go here. -->
|{{flagicon|France}} ]
* ] - A demented coroner inhabits an abandoned mental asylum. When several teenagers trespass on his property, he proceeds to kill them off one by one. Filmed on location at the since-demolished in ].
|An 18-year-old boy was on Mulatière railway bridge taking photos, when he fell from the bridge and died.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.20minutes.fr/lyon/1996007-20170115-lyon-depuis-disparition-maxime-hommages-multiplient-reseaux|title=Lyon: Since the disappearance of Maxime, tributes have multiplied on the networks|last=Noble-Werner|first=Baptiste|date=15 January 2017|work=20minutes|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112022609/https://www.20minutes.fr/lyon/1996007-20170115-lyon-depuis-disparition-maxime-hommages-multiplient-reseaux|archive-date=12 November 2020|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Pray for Rain's , (2006) a supernatural thriller about three urban explorers who get more than they bargain for when they set out to explore the secret world beneath ]. It has just been accepted into AFI Fest.


|-
* Red Scream Films' , (2006) the world's first exploitation style UE film.
|{{dts|October 2017}}
|{{flagicon|USA}} ]
|A Memphis photographer and urban explorer died after a 14-story fall off a hotel in ] while trespassing.<ref>{{cite news |title=Man taking photos falls 14 stories to his death at Chicago hotel |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/man-falls-to-his-death-londonhouse-chicago-hotel/ |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref>


|-
* Brad Anderson's (2001) is a movie about an asbestos cleaning crew working in an abandoned mental hospital. Tensions rise as the horrific past of the mental institution seems to be coming back.
|{{dts|June 2018}}
|{{flagicon|USA}} ]
|A 30-year-old photographer and urban explorer died in ] after being swept away in a flash flood while exploring a storm drain.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Scotti |first1=Ariel |title=Urban explorer who died while photographing Philadelphia storm drain remembered as 'bando queen' |url=https://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/ny-fea-urban-explorer-dead-20180607-story.html |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref>


|-
* Phillip Booth's (2005). Set in Waverly Hills TB Sanitarium in Louisville, Kentucky, five college women were locked in the hospital for an initiation stunt. Deep under the hospital is the infamous 'Death Tunnel' which was once used to remove the dead from the grounds of the hospital.
|{{dts|August 2019}}
|{{flagicon|Russia}} ]
|A 16-year-old boy was walking on the roof of a one-story abandoned building and was killed when the edge of the building collapsed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.e1.ru/news/spool/news_id-66185446.html|title="One brick collapsed": details of the death of a teenager who crashed at Moscow|last=Zabailovich|first=Julia|date=5 August 2019|work=e1.ru|access-date=9 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307231116/https://www.e1.ru/news/spool/news_id-66185446.html|archive-date=7 March 2021|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.e1.ru/news/spool/news_id-66184729.html|title=In Yekaterinburg, a teenager crashed to death by falling from the roof of a one-story building|date=3 August 2019|work=e1.ru|access-date=9 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210708080314/https://www.e1.ru/text/incidents/2019/08/03/66184729/|archive-date=8 July 2021|url-status=live}}</ref>


|-
* Terry Gilliam's (1995) Used a number of abandoned location for filming its futuristic scenes, including abandoned powerplants in Baltimore and Philadelphia and Philadephia's Eastern State Penn, and old abandoned prison which is now open to the publich for tours.
|{{dts|July 2020}}
|{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} ]
|A 22-year-old man died after falling from the roof of an abandoned factory.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-cannot-him-die-vain-18703846|title='I cannot let him die in vain' Mum pays tribute to 'urban explorer' son who died after falling from roof|date=2020-08-02|access-date=2020-09-13|last=Smith|first=Daniel|website=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807104653/https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/i-cannot-him-die-vain-18703846|archive-date=7 August 2020|url-status=dead}}</ref>


|-
* The films ] and ] both contain characters who live in utility spaces of the sort that are the subject of Urban Exploration, and sequences in which other characters discover these spaces.
|{{dts|September 2021}}
|{{flagicon|Russia}} ]
|A 34-year-old YouTuber suffered a fatal fall while filming a YouTube video in an abandoned building in ].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ningthoujam |first1=Natalia |title=34-Year-Old Russian YouTuber Falls To Death From Fire Escape While Shooting Video |url=https://www.latintimes.com/34-year-old-russian-youtuber-falls-death-fire-escape-while-shooting-video-486273 |access-date=1 December 2022}}</ref>
|}


==Rooftopping==
===Short films and documentaries===
{{main|Rooftopping}}
]]]
Rooftopping and skywalking are the ascents of rooftops, cranes, antennas, smokestacks, etc., usually illegally, to get an ] rush and take ]. Rooftopping differs from skywalking as the latter is mostly about taking panoramic photographs of the scene below, and safety is more important than the thrill.<ref>{{Cite web | title=Meet the rooftoppers: the urban outlaws who risk everything to summit our cities | url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/feb/17/rooftoppers-urban-explorers-risk-photographs-skyscrapers-bradley-garrett | work=]| date=17 February 2015 }}</ref> Rooftopping has been especially popular in ].<ref>Lucy Ash, </ref> ] has a similar goal as rooftopping and skywalking (to reach the roof), but involves climbing the building from the outside rather than infiltrating from the inside.


== Methods and technology ==
* David L. Cunningham's documentary short, which documents a research trip he and screenwriter Kevin Miller made in preparation for writing , a supernatural UE thriller about three urban explorers who get more than what they bargain for when they set out to explore the vast secret world under Moscow.
* Some urban explorers use ] such as ] or other ]s for videos.<ref>{{cite web|title=Afraid of heights? You'll still want to watch this|url=http://www.redbull.com/en/adventure/stories/1331811152379/see-insane-gopro-shots-from-red-bull-tv-s-urbex|publisher=Red Bull|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref><ref name=scmp1>{{cite web|title=The Hong Kong urban adventurers for whom nothing is too tall, or deep, or spooky|url=http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/1935696/hong-kong-urban-adventurers-whom-nothing-too-tall-or-deep|work=South China Morning Post|date=14 April 2016|access-date=11 February 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Meet the Place Hackers|url=https://time.com/4281028/meet-the-place-hackers/|magazine=Time (magazine)|access-date=11 February 2017}}</ref>


* Some also use ] ] for exploration and recording.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Ives|first1=Mike|title=Using Stealth, and Drones, to Document a Fading Hong Kong|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/07/world/asia/hong-kong-historical-preservation.html|work=The New York Times|access-date=11 February 2017|date=7 February 2017}}</ref><ref name=scmp1/>
* Melody Gilbert's (2006), a documentary about some of the world's urban explorers.


* The ]s '']''<ref>{{cite book|last1=Harris|first1=Jesse|title=The Practical Guide to Ingress: What you really need to know without the extraneous junk|date=30 January 2015|publisher=Jesse Harris|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tx9zBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA20|access-date=11 February 2017|language=en}}</ref> and the following '']''<ref>{{cite web|title=Why Pokémon Go will surprise you in your own city|url=http://europe.newsweek.com/pokemon-go-unexpected-discovery-cities-pokestops-481750|work=Newsweek|date=19 July 2016|access-date=11 February 2017|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Pokémon Go - A New Avenue for Urban Exploration » CSBE|url=http://www.csbe.org/publications-and-resources/articles-and-lectures-on-urbanism/pokemon-go-a-new-avenue-for-urban-exploration/|publisher=Center for the Study of the Built Environment|access-date=11 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170212091408/http://www.csbe.org/publications-and-resources/articles-and-lectures-on-urbanism/pokemon-go-a-new-avenue-for-urban-exploration/|archive-date=12 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> based on the former have urban exploration elements. While some are concerned with keeping certain sites secret from the public at large, mainly to prevent vandalism, several apps dedicated to urban exploration exist.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Walker|first1=Alissa|title=5 Apps That Help You Find Your City's Hidden Gems|url=https://gizmodo.com/5-apps-that-help-you-find-your-citys-hidden-gems-1657009307|website=Gizmodo|date=13 November 2014 |access-date=12 February 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Abandoned App Leads You to Local Urban Exploration Sites|url=http://weburbanist.com/2013/02/25/abandoned-app-leads-you-to-local-urban-exploration-sites/|website=WebUrbanist|access-date=12 February 2017|date=26 February 2013}}</ref>
* Robert Fantinatto's (2005), a visual essay on the allure of abandoned buildings and industrial relics.


===Television=== == See also ==
===General===
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
*]
===Organizations===
*], Australian urbex group
* Action Squad, American urbex group


== References ==
*A 2004 episode of ] (]) involved a person supposedly killed while ']'.
{{reflist}}
*A 2006 episode of ] involved urban exploration.
*The Discovery Channel filmed and aired a 5-episode TV series with the title "Urban Explorers". The 5 episodes are Buffalo, Chicago, Denver, Milwaukee, and Pittsburgh. Discovery does not sell these episodes, and does not intend to.
*A 2006 episode of ] (]) involved 2 Urban Explorers taking artifacts from an abandoned hotel.


==See also== == Further reading ==
*{{cite book|first=Bradley L. |last=Garrett |author-link=Bradley Garrett |url=http://www.versobooks.com/books/1473-explore-everything |title=Explore Everything: Place-Hacking the City |publisher=Verso Books, Brooklyn, London and Paris |isbn=9781781681299 |date=October 2013 |access-date=23 April 2014}}
<!-- Do NOT modify this list without adequate discussion or reasoning. I'm tired of fixing or restoring pages in which people bicker back and forth without discussion or any sort of reasoning. See the TALK page for discussion. -->
* Gates, Moses (2012). ''Hidden Cities: Travels to the Secret Corners of the World's Great Metropolises; A Memoir of Urban Exploration'' Tarcher, New York. {{ISBN|978-1585429349}}
* ]
* {{Cite news |url=https://www.npr.org/2013/09/14/222525583/new-york-underground-exploring-city-caves-and-catacombs |title=New York Underground: Exploring City Caves and Catacombs |first=Jacki |last=Lyden |work=] |date=14 September 2013 |publisher=]}}
* ]
* Margaine, Sylvain (2009) (Hardcover), {{ISBN|2-915807-82-5}}
* ]
* ] (2005). ''Access All Areas: A user's guide to the art of urban exploration.'' PO Box 13, Station E, Toronto, ON M6H 4E1 Canada: Infilpress. {{ISBN|0-9737787-0-9}}
* ]
* Paiva, Troy (2008) ''Night Vision: The Art of Urban Exploration'' Chronicle Books {{ISBN|0-8118-6338-7}}
* ]
* ]'s '']'' (2007), a documentary about some of the world's urban explorers.
* ]
* Timothy Hannem, ''Urbex : 50 lieux secrets et abandonnés en France'', Arthaud, {{ISBN|978-2081356078}}
* ]
* ]


==References== ==External links==
*{{Commons category-inline|Urban exploration}}
<div class="references-small">
*{{Wikivoyage-inline|Urbex|Urban exploration}}
<references />
{{Adventure travel|state=collapsed}}
</div>


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==Further reading==
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Latest revision as of 09:59, 13 December 2024

Exploration of usually hidden or abandoned buildings and structures "Urban explorer" and "urban explorers" redirect here. For other uses, see Urban explorer (disambiguation). "Urbex" redirects here. For the documentary series, see URBEX – Enter At Your Own Risk.
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Abandoned Salbert fortifications

Urban exploration (often shortened as UE, urbex, and sometimes known as roof and tunnel hacking) is the exploration of manmade structures, usually abandoned ruins or hidden components of the manmade environment. Photography and historical interest/documentation are heavily featured in the hobby, sometimes involving trespassing onto private property. Urban exploration is also called draining (a specific form of urban exploration where storm drains or sewers are explored), urban spelunking, urban rock climbing, urban caving, building hacking, or mousing.

The activity presents various risks, including physical danger, the possibility of arrest and punishment if done illegally and/or without permission, and the risk of encountering squatters. Some activities associated with urban exploration may violate local or regional laws, certain broadly interpreted anti-terrorism laws, or can be considered trespassing or invasion of privacy. Encountering squatters, who are unauthorized occupants in abandoned or unmonitored properties, can lead to unpredictable and potentially dangerous situations.

Exploration sites

Urban explorers at the entrance of a technical gallery under construction in Paris, France

Abandonments

Ventures into abandoned structures are perhaps the most common example of urban exploration. Many sites are entered first by locals and may have graffiti or other kinds of vandalism, while others are better preserved. Although targets of exploration vary from one country to another, high-profile abandonments include amusement parks, grain elevators, factories, power plants, missile silos, fallout shelters, hospitals, asylums, prisons, schools, outmoded and abandoned skyscrapers, poor houses, and sanatoriums.

In Japan, abandoned infrastructure is known as haikyo (廃墟) (literally "ruins"), and the term is synonymous with the practice of urban exploration. Haikyo are particularly common in Japan because of its rapid industrialization (e.g., Hashima Island), damage during World War II, the 1980s real estate bubble, and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.

Željava underground military airport

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, a large underground facility abandoned since 1992 is Željava Air Base, situated under the Gola Plješevica mountain, near the city of Bihać. It was the largest underground airport and military air base in the SFR Yugoslavia, and one of the largest in Europe. The complex contains tunnels in total length of 3.5 km (2.2 mi), and other large facilities. Nowadays, it is popular for urban exploration, although it is risky due to the possibility of anti-personnel landmines being located in unexplored areas, remnants from 1990s Bosnian War.

Many explorers find the decay of uninhabited space profoundly beautiful, and some are also proficient freelance photographers who document what they see, such as those who document the infrastructure of the former USSR.

Abandoned sites are also popular among historians, preservationists, architects, archaeologists, industrial archaeologists, and ghost hunters.

Active buildings

Light painting inside an abandoned limestone quarry in France.

Another aspect of urban exploration is the practice of exploring active or in use buildings, which includes gaining access to secured or "member-only" areas, mechanical rooms, roofs, elevator rooms, abandoned floors, and other normally unseen parts of working buildings. The term "infiltration" is often associated with exploring active structures. People entering restricted areas may be committing trespass, and civil prosecution may result.

Catacombs

Catacombs (France)

Catacombs such as those found in Paris, Rome, Odessa, and Naples have been investigated by urban explorers. Some consider the Mines of Paris, comprising many of the tunnels that are not open to public tours, including the catacombs, the "Holy Grail" due to their extensive nature and history. Explorers of these spaces are known as cataphiles.

Sewers and storm drains

Storm drain outfall in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Entry into storm drains, or "draining", is another common form of urban exploration. Groups devoted to the task have arisen, such as the Cave Clan and Darkside in Australia. Draining has a specialized set of guidelines, the foremost of which is "When it rains, no drains!", because the dangers of becoming entrapped, washed away, or killed increase dramatically during heavy rainfall.

A small subset of explorers enter sanitary sewers. Sometimes they are the only connection to caves or other subterranean features. Sewers are among the most dangerous locations to explore owing to the risk of poisoning by buildups of toxic gas (commonly methane, hydrogen sulfide, or carbon dioxide). Sewers can contain viruses, bacteria, protozoa, and parasitic worms. Protective equipment is recommended for people who enter sewers.

Transit tunnels

Diesel trains in a tunnel of Metro-2 D6 line in Moscow, Russia

Exploring active and abandoned subway and railway tunnels, bores, and stations is often considered trespassing and can result in civil prosecution due to security concerns. As a result, this type of exploration is rarely publicized. An exception to this is the abandoned subway of Rochester, New York, the only American city with an abandoned subway system that was once operational. The Cincinnati subway is also abandoned but was never completed. London has a number of stations on the London Underground network that have been closed over the years, with Aldwych tube station a popular location for explorers.

Utility tunnels

Main article: Utility tunnel
Utility tunnel in the center of Zürich, Switzerland

Universities, and other large institutions, such as hospitals, often distribute hazardous superheated steam for heating or cooling buildings from a central heating plant. These pipes are generally run through utility tunnels, which are often intended to be accessible solely for the purposes of maintenance. Nevertheless, many of these steam tunnels, especially those on college campuses, have a tradition of exploration by students. This practice was once called "vadding" at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, but students there now call it roof and tunnel hacking.

Some steam tunnels have dirt floors, poor lighting and temperatures above 45 °C (113 °F). Others have concrete floors, bright light, and more moderate temperatures. Most steam tunnels have large intake fans to bring in the fresh air and push the hot air out the back, and these may start without warning. Most active steam tunnels do not contain airborne asbestos, but proper breathing protection may be required for other respiratory hazards. Experienced explorers are very cautious inside active utility tunnels since pipes can spew boiling hot water or steam from leaky valves or pressure relief blow-offs. Often there are puddles of muddy water on the floor, making slips and falls a special concern near hot pipes.

Steam tunnels have generally been secured more heavily in recent years due to their frequent use for carrying communications network backbone cables, increased safety and liability concerns, and perceived risk of use in terrorist activities.

Popularity

The rise in urban exploration's popularity can be attributed to increased media attention. Recent television shows such as Urban Explorers on the Discovery Channel, MTV's Fear, and the Ghost Hunting exploits of The Atlantic Paranormal Society have packaged the hobby for a popular audience. The fictional film After... (2006), a hallucinatory thriller set in Moscow's underground subways, features urban explorers caught up in extreme situations. Talks and exhibits on urban exploration have appeared at the fifth and sixth Hackers on Planet Earth Conference, complementing numerous newspaper articles and interviews.

Another source of popular information is Cities of the Underworld, a documentary series that ran for three seasons on the History Channel starting in 2007. This series roamed around the world, showing little-known underground structures in remote locales and right under the feet of densely packed city-dwellers. Websites for professional and hobby explorers have been developed to share tips and locations.

With the rise in the hobby's popularity, there has been increasing discussion of whether the extra attention has been beneficial.

Legality

A partially collapsed tunnel in the Kyminlinna fortress in Kotka, Finland
Hill 60 bunker. On the right is a corridor leading to the bunker complex, and on the left is the "mushroom tunnel".

The activity's growing popularity has resulted in increased attention not just from explorers but also from vandals and law enforcement. The illicit aspects of urban exploring, which may include trespassing and breaking and entering, have had critical attention in mainstream newspapers.

In Australia, lawyers for the Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales shut down the Sydney Cave Clan's website after they raised concerns that the portal could "risk human safety and threaten the security of its infrastructure". Another website belonging to the Bangor Explorers Guild was criticized by the Maine State Police for encouraging behavior that "could get someone hurt or killed". Toronto Police, called for an "end" to rooftop photography in 2016, citing similar concerns about the possibility of death or injury. The Toronto Transit Commission has used the Internet to crimp subway tunnel explorations, going as far as to send investigators to various explorers' homes.

Jeff Chapman, who authored Infiltration, writes that genuine urban explorers "never vandalize, steal or damage anything". The thrill comes from "discovery and a few nice pictures". Some explorers also request permission for entry in advance.

Hazards

Storm drains are not designed with human access as their primary use and can be subject to flash flooding and bad air.

Many abandoned structures have hazards such as unstable structures, unsafe floors, broken glass, stray voltage, entrapment hazards, or unknown chemicals and other harmful substances (most notably asbestos). Other risks include freely roaming guard dogs and hostile squatters. Some abandoned locations may be heavily guarded by motion detectors and active security patrols, while others are more easily accessible and carry less risk of discovery.

Deaths from urban exploration

Date Location Description
June 2008 Canada Toronto, Canada A 26-year-old man died in hospital two days after falling off a catwalk at the abandoned Richard L. Hearn Thermal Generating Station in Toronto. The man entered the building with a friend intending to take "artistic photographs" of the building.
26 April 2009 United States Saint Paul, United States A man was inside a tunnel along the Mississippi river when it began to rain heavily, and the rain swept him down the tunnel to the river. The man was found in the river and later died in hospital, having drowned.
June 2013 Russia Neman, Russia It is thought that a 9-year-old boy fell 6 metres (20 ft) from a spiral staircase to the ground inside the ruins of Ragnit Castle and died from his injuries.
21 March 2015 Australia Brisbane, Australia A man was kayaking through a storm water drain when he became trapped by rising water from heavy rain and drowned.
12 January 2017 France La Mulatière, France An 18-year-old boy was on Mulatière railway bridge taking photos, when he fell from the bridge and died.
October 2017 United States Chicago, United States A Memphis photographer and urban explorer died after a 14-story fall off a hotel in Chicago while trespassing.
June 2018 United States Philadelphia, United States A 30-year-old photographer and urban explorer died in Philadelphia after being swept away in a flash flood while exploring a storm drain.
August 2019 Russia Moscow, Russia A 16-year-old boy was walking on the roof of a one-story abandoned building and was killed when the edge of the building collapsed.
July 2020 United Kingdom Totnes, United Kingdom A 22-year-old man died after falling from the roof of an abandoned factory.
September 2021 Russia Moscow, Russia A 34-year-old YouTuber suffered a fatal fall while filming a YouTube video in an abandoned building in Moscow.

Rooftopping

Main article: Rooftopping
Rooftopping in Hong Kong

Rooftopping and skywalking are the ascents of rooftops, cranes, antennas, smokestacks, etc., usually illegally, to get an adrenaline rush and take selfie photos or videos. Rooftopping differs from skywalking as the latter is mostly about taking panoramic photographs of the scene below, and safety is more important than the thrill. Rooftopping has been especially popular in Russia. Buildering has a similar goal as rooftopping and skywalking (to reach the roof), but involves climbing the building from the outside rather than infiltrating from the inside.

Methods and technology

  • The location-based games Ingress and the following Pokémon Go based on the former have urban exploration elements. While some are concerned with keeping certain sites secret from the public at large, mainly to prevent vandalism, several apps dedicated to urban exploration exist.

See also

General

Organizations

  • Cave Clan, Australian urbex group
  • Action Squad, American urbex group

References

  1. Ninjalicious (2005). Access All Areas: A User's Guide to the Art of Urban Exploration. Infilpress. p. 223. ISBN 9780973778700. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  2. Nestor, James (19 August 2007). "The Art of Urban Exploration". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  3. Stevenson, Seth (15 October 2000). "Forgive us our tresspasses". The Independent. London. p. 105. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  4. Lyons, Sheridan (6 July 1981). "Storm drains vital for a rainy day, but at times they're overwhelmed". The Baltimore Sun. p. 32. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  5. Scott, Michael (1 March 1993). "Hacking the Material World". Wired. Vol. 1, no. 3. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  6. Lipin, David (January 1997). "Circling the Drain". Los Angeles. Vol. 42, no. 1. p. 18. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  7. Gakuran, Michael (23 March 2010). "The Hazards of Haikyo and Urban Exploration". Retrieved 21 June 2011.
  8. "Haikyo: Abandoned Treasure". Weekender. May 2010. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
  9. "Zeljava Airbase". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  10. "Underground Aircraft Dispersal Bihac Airfield, Yugoslavia 44-50N 015-47E" (PDF). National Photographic Interpretation Center. 17 June 1968. Retrieved 28 July 2022 – via nsarchive2.gwu.edu.
  11. "Zeljava-jna_jedinice". Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  12. Shevchenko, Vitaly (11 February 2014). "The urban explorers of the ex-USSR". BBC. Retrieved 12 February 2014.
  13. Paris Underground Map (Map). Michel-Eugène Lefébure de Fourcy. 1841.
  14. Water, Municipal Sewer and (22 June 2020). "How to Keep Sewer Workers Safe". Municipal Sewer and Water. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  15. Mele, Christopher (27 July 2020). "Urban Explorers Give Modern Ruins a Second Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  16. "Urban explorers risking lives and arrest for social media glory, say experts". the Guardian. 18 March 2016. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  17. "Urban exploration - Richard Shepherd photographs derelict buildings in the North East and further afield". BBC Tyne, Broadcasting Centre. 20 August 2008. Retrieved 23 April 2014.
  18. "Urban exploration: the threat to business". City Security Magazine. 17 April 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  19. ^ Batz, Bob Jr. (7 September 2003). "Urban explorers dare to investigate seldom-seen Pittsburgh sites". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  20. "Edge walkers: police call for end to 'rooftopping' before it's too late | Globalnews.ca". Global News. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 10 December 2022.
  21. Ebaster, Al (19 September 2007). "Legal Urban Exploration: 7 Tips for Visiting Historical Abandonments". Web Urbanist.
  22. Owen, Mary (5 December 2004). "Abandoned beauties: Urban explorers find adventure in ruins of old buildings". U-T San Diego. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
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Further reading

External links

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