Step into the haunting beauty of abandoned places reclaimed by nature. Abandoned buildings, forgotten and falling apart, are transformed as plants grow all over them. Join us in unraveling the enchanting stories of places where nature has reclaimed its rightful throne, turning abandonment into a spectacle of unexpected wonder.
Mother Nature Reclaims a Chimney
Here we have an ancient chimney, clearly not used in decades. Roots have grown from under it and vines grew to the top sprouting out in a gigantic tree. We love how majestic this tree looks standing firm on top of the human structure, which in contrast, looks pretty weak compared to the power of the natural tree that showed it who's boss. Nature has this incredible ability to win in any situation.
Mother Nature holds our lives in the palm of her hand. She can take it away in a second and leave it to exist, it's all up to her. Most people never learn to respect her and therefore she fights back, by growing over us or wiping us out with her forceful storms. This ancient tree can be found in Berhampur, India. Its roots are similar to that of lock dreadlocks, representing the yogic culture there.
Nothing but a Rusty Chunk of Metal as Mother Nature Reclaims Her Space
A German expedition cruise ship, not a shipwreck, hit a reef and has been stranded for 20 years. The ship came too close to a reef and now lays bare for nature to reclaim her space back through fast vegetation. Due to its size and weight, the ship was never moved away and now lives in Sandfly Passage, on the Solomon Islands. Mother nature and all her creatures quickly find refuge in these man-made disasters and very quickly make our human structures blend in with nature again.
The MS World Discoverer is now nothing more than a cool scuba diving spot for the thrillseekers of the ocean. We're sure there are a great number of fish who now also reside in her, alongside the birds above. What was once a man-made money-making machine, is now a rusty chunk of metal, slowly being eaten away by the salt of the ocean.
Ancient Shiva Temple in Bangladesh Over Taken by Sacred Bodhi Tree
We're not sure how old this tree is but it must be ancient by the looks of it. The tree has managed to completely cover the building with its roots and branches, providing it with a natural protective layer. It doesn't matter what human structures we build, if there is no one around to trim the branches, the roots, or wipe away the leaves, mother nature will grow wild, and rightfully so.
By the looks of this photo, it seems that multiple trees grew into each other and became one massive tree, combining their roots, combining their power. This structure will most probably remain standing forever due to the natural support the tree provides.
The Patient Growing Process of This Tree to Get to Sunlight
Trees tend to grow slightly faster to get into the sunlight while growing in the direction of the sun. This tree was photographed standing alone in its very own abandoned silo. The position of the camera angle capturing this magnificent image is perfect. We can see the tree soaking up all the sun at the top after many years of growing and patiently waiting. Humans can learn a lot from this tree and its growth process.
Life today is all about instant gratification while our concentration spans deteriorate rapidly. It's amazing how the tree did not die while sprouting from a young seed, slowly growing, instead it kept pushing up and surviving until it reached the top where it now flourishes in the sun. Trees need the process of photosynthesis through the sun to create nutrients it needs to grow and survive.
Mother Nature’s and Her Growing Force When Buildings Are Abandoned
This mansion was once a beautiful, well-kept prime estate with manicured lawns and neat walls. It most probably housed the rich and famous while nighttime brought about an atmosphere of social gatherings. The first picture is from 1965, the second is from 2012 and the two could not be more different. The building got abandoned and started falling apart. Mother nature once again steps in and starts growing over the walls and fence line making it look like the house from the famous movie series "The Adam's Family".
Giving off a feeling of being haunted which must have all the neighborhood children coming up with all kinds of games. The house has been standing for so long the windows seemed to have cracked and fallen out, the wooden areas are rotten and most of the walls are collapsing. Soon this whole place will be completely covered with natural matter.
An Over Abandoned Theme Park Engulfed by Nature
Structures like these leave us with so many unanswered questions. Why has this theme park been abandoned? How long has it been like this? Who owns this land? Why haven't they built anything else on it? So many questions and not many answers. What we do know for sure is that it's been standing there, unused long enough for mother nature to almost completely engulfing it with her wild vegetation.
The sheer power of nature is almost magical and we can only look at it from a distance with utter amazement at her power. This whole image is beyond eerie and that is probably why the photo was taken from quite a distance. It looks impossible to get close enough to touch it, that is how thick the vegetation is. This overgrown abandoned theme park will make a great film set for a scary movie.
Once Used for Trains, This Railway Track Is Now Just a Footprint in the Forest
This abandoned train track looks like something out of Lord of the Rings. The mist in the background captures the feeling of this mystical forest perfectly while the plants are rapidly growing over the train track which had not been used in years. The metal is darkly rusted and the wooden slabs in between are rotten and falling apart. All of it fits perfectly with the way mother nature takes over. Any man-made structure left too long will be engulfed with the sheer power of mother nature.
She will grow until there are none of our human structures left visible. If humans ever get wiped out for any reason, mother nature will be absolutely fine and carry on making the earth beautiful and habitable again. Growing constantly to provide oxygen, and absorbing any leftover traces of Carbon Dioxide.
Japan Was the Second Largest Nuclear Devastation After Chernobyl
The Fukushima nuclear disaster happened at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant in Ōkuma. The power plant exploded after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan and sent radioactive waves through the air. After Chernobyl, this was the only other accident to receive a level 7 classification on disaster records. The disasters get rated according to the number of people evacuated which saw more evacuations than the 1957 explosion of the Mayak facility, which was the second-worst radioactivity release.
The power plant's energy supply failed after the earthquake and soon they were hit by the tsunami caused by the earthquake moments later. In fear of lawsuits and protests, TEPCO came clean in 2012 stating that they did not take necessary protective measures as they should have. Now, mother nature grows over that which was left behind. No matter how devastating the effect, nature will reclaim her space.
The Vine That Chose Silence
This vine showed the human who owns this wind chime how much mother nature disapproved of the noise it was making. This vine climbs up a patio chair and grows straight towards the chime, wrapped itself around it, and silenced it. We think it's a pretty hilarious and very unique sight, to say the least.
This chair has probably not moved in a long time for this vine to grow so big, although vines are known to grow very rapidly. There's not much else we can say other than what we assume, and that is that this plant seemed highly annoyed by wind chimes and took it upon itself to stop the noise.
Mother Nature’s Shipwreck of an Island
There's a gap in the market for those wanting to start selling islands. Buying your very own island has never been easier. All you need is a boat, wait till it's swamped with trees and lush vegetation, and sell it as an island, because it definitely looks like one. This picture is an old shipwreck overgrown by nature from standing still and unoccupied by any humans for too long.
By the looks of the murky water surrounding it, we're sure you're bound to find a few crocs. It is hard to believe that this was once a fully operational ship, transporting, we're not entirely sure what, but it was moving and people worked and moved around on it. This island of plants has been standing stagnant for a while by the looks of the giant roots growing off the sides and into the water.
The Great Synagogue of Constanta
The great synagogue of Constanta was built between 1910 and 1914 but was abandoned as the Jewish people started moving away. Much of the infrastructure turned to rubble as the walls caved in. This photo is hauntingly beautiful as we witness the power of nature breathing life into previously lifeless spaces of concrete. We love how the plants become like a new carpet to the broken structure and how the colorful windows still managed to stay intact with all the natural plants forming in the cracks.
This synagogue was once a place where people would go to pray and worship their god, and now, the building turns to rubble with only nature living there. Another great example of human structures losing their purpose and nature doing the cleaning up for the rubble humans leave behind.
Mother Nature Breathes New Life Into Broken Down Castle
This castle was built off the Irish coast but abandoned soon after for unknown reasons. Most of the McDermott castle was destroyed by fire during the second world war and is known today as a historical sight. Those who care to explore her beauty can reach it by boat but the path which leads you to it has diminished and is unusable due to the lake's water levels rising. As you can see by this aerial photo, the trees have engulfed the ruins of this once magnificent castle. Today, it is a magnificent historical sight of what once was.
A time of castles and war. It's rather extraordinary to think people once lived in it during a time of castles and armor. According to historians, this castle was built to be home on the lake during the Summer seasons before getting ruined in the fire.
The Car Crash That Made Nature Look Even More Beautiful
It's pretty incredible how nature just flows with whatever obstacles lay ahead.
It's surprising that the car still has some windows intact by the looks of the uncracked glass of the windscreen. Either way, the car crashed into these trees a long time ago and now the tree is showing the car who the real boss is by growing into it, slowly making sure it would never move again.
Will the Real Slim Shady Please Stand Up
Due to the depletion of nature to concrete buildings, cities expanding because of an ever-growing number of people and businesses, housing, and the need to pave everything, people have resorted to astroturfing. A fake grass substance imitating green grass but with (according to those who use it) requires less maintenance. Clearly, it is no match for mother nature.
Here we see a real piece of grass, or weeds, growing through the plastic fibers. It’s safe to say that ridding your home area of weeds is nearly impossible. Try as you may, use whatever poison or maintenance routines you can think of, weeds always prevail. It’s been proven time and time again and it’s no wonder it’s called the most undesirable plant.
Elmo Turns Vegan in the Woods
At first, we thought the eyes were just put down next to a piece of randomly bulged moss that grew perfectly in the shape of Elmo. Needless to say, it is indeed the Elmo toy that got left behind somewhere in the woods and has now become an organic Elmo. This would be a great image for a new line of biodegradable children’s toys. We know this one still has its non-compostable matter underneath the moss, but, at least people can see the possibilities of a greener future. 90% of all children’s toys are made up of plastic.
For every $1million in revenues, the industry uses 40 tons of plastic. Studies show that children who constantly chew on these toys absorb alarming amounts of toxic chemicals into their tiny bodies. For children to constantly be exposed to these substances can lead to devastating effects.
Working Its Way to the Top
Mother nature stops for nothing, and no one. This is the perfect example of how nature does as nature wants and no man-made sign is a match for nature's speedy growth. The funniest thing about this photo is the well-manicured lawn behind the sign, the paved road, and the Aridestsidewalk with no indication of trees. Suddenly out of nowhere comes this tree while growing patiently through the grid post until it reaches the top. There are two types of people in this world.
There are those who marvel at the beauty of nature and then there are those who are conditioned to think it's unnatural to have a tree growing in the neighborhood. Looking at the stop sign from the front, one initially thinks a seed landed on the top and started sprouting into a tree using the top of the sign as its "ground".
A Rooted Battle Between Man and Nature
An epic battle is being fought on this otherwise uninteresting sidewalk, where pavement tiles are forcing a tree's roots to follow their pattern. The result is a bizarre image of nature appearing as a man-made structure, with usually twisty roots growing in straight lines.
It's just one more example of the slow yet powerful nature of roots, which will continue to grow wherever they need to no matter how hard the material that gets in the way. While this makes for a very entertaining sight on your morning walk, I feel sorry for any wheelchair users that come across it. You would need some serious 4x4 tires to get across this mess!
The Ruthless Agave Plant That Thrives in the Aridest Conditions
At first glance this overgrown Agave plant looks like a monster out of a Marvel movie, shooting out its giant claws to fight back an Avenger. Just like our imagination, these plants also get pretty wild. This Agave plant has brought things back to life in this old abandoned greenhouse. Most of the plant matter in this old greenhouse is dead and dull. Not the Agave, a plant known to thrive in hot and arid areas across the Americas.
Though Agave plants are a genus of monocots native to America, certain Agave species are also found in the more tropical areas throughout South America. Agaves are typically known to be part of the succulent and xerophytic family with strong and fleshy rosettes. It’s no wonder this Agave thrived here in this dry soil in the abandoned greenhouse. It’s the perfect weather and soil conditions for its kind.
The Tree That Decided to Live Next Door
There are no rules to growing in nature. As long as the living organism is alive, it is free to move in any direction it chooses. Here we have a tree that was not phased by this man-made wall built out of strong cement bricks. The tree simply found the crack and pushed through. Not only did the tree push through, but it also grew an enormous trunk and thrived next door to where it was initially growing.
We are amazed at how thin the tree trunk started out and stayed when it pushed through the bricklayer and only started growing much thicker once it moved past the wall. It’s almost like the tree didn’t want to disturb the wall and kept it intact as it simply moved to the next property. What a respectful tree.
The Tree That Engulfed All the Unnecessary Details of a Hiking Sign
This tree decided to naturally grow over an old hiking sign. With its growth around the sign, it started bulging over it more and more with time while eventually, whoever captured this photo, got to show us the most important part of the sign left open, for now. A tiny hiker with its walking stick with only a small part of the luminous red paint in the background.
It almost looks like the sign was born as a tiny baby inside the tree, and there it stayed and grew like a fetus in the womb. This is definitely one of the most bizarre images we’ve seen of nature incorporating human structures into their growth. Nature teaches us to flow, even when resistance occurs.
130 000-Year-Old Neanderthal Skull Preserved in Stalagmites
This next image takes us to Italy where a Neanderthal skull was found fossilized inside a cave. The skull is said to be around 130 000 years old with stalagmites forming around it in a sinkhole in this newly discovered cave. You can clearly see that it's a skull with the eyebrow area being slightly raised, the prominent teeth, and the nose hole. The fact that natural matter has formed and crystallized around it shows how old it is. The skull and bones are cemented into this cave and the stalagmites.
A stalagmite is a unique rock formation rising from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material usually due to drippings from the ceiling. Calcium carbonate is the main substance that is found in Stalagmites but it has also been known to show traces of lava, sand, peat, and even amber.
The Future of Bridges Lie in the Faithful Hands of Mother Nature
This bridge reminded us of the famous red San Francisco bridge and we instantly became aware of how quickly things can change. A bridge that operates today could very easily become taken over by nature. This bridge is known as “The Bridge to Nowhere” by those in New Zealand. According to sources it was not inhabited for very long and soon after it was built and briefly used, it was abandoned.
We all know what happens when things are abandoned. We see it time and time again. From the biggest buildings to the tiniest cracks. Mother nature prevails and claims back what is hers.
The Ancient Form of Tree Shaping
If the ground was not in this picture we would not have believed it to be a photo, but rather a painting. This tree engulfed these metal poles creating a fence or a type of barrier but the barrier was clearly in the tree's way. We’re very surprised at how gently this tree is growing around all the metal poles. The tree's roots must be deep as none of the pavement has moved with its growth.
Everything is perfectly intact, unhindered. Without knowing, this barrier has caused the ancient art of "tree shaping" which dates back to several hundred years and can be seen all over the world. The War-Khasi people of the Cherrapunjee region in India manipulated the roots of trees to build bridges across big rivers and is still maintained today.
An Abandoned Mansion With a Natural Shade Cloth
By ‘shade cloth of course we mean nature as it forms a type of canopy around the house. It’s only a matter of time before the whole house turns into a giant bush. This is a perfect example of what the world would look like if all human life disappeared. At first, there would be an eerie feeling in the air as nature bids human structures farewell, followed by major growth until eventually, everything is covered.
Animals would thrive as populations spiked. With no humans around, nothing can be overhunted or unnaturally bred. No land will be cultivated for farming and things would go back to their natural state of being completely wild and free. Aside from the polar ice caps and deserts, everything would be green and lush.
Forgotten Train Tracks
This scene would make the perfect film set for a scary movie, maybe one about ghosts. The vegetation has grown wild after this old train track was abandoned many years ago. We're not sure about the history of this train track, nor do we have any information on its whereabouts, but we do know that it has become victim to the wrath of nature's speedily process of reclaiming her territory. Not only is it abandoned but it looks like it might be swampland with all the water surrounding the wooden slabs.
The tunnel is completely covered in moss and the jungle-like palms have grown wild on the walls before entering the tunnel. We can admittedly say that we would never enter that tunnel, even if you paid us. It looks like something lives there, and we're not talking about friendly little birds.
A Naturally Gorgeous Staircase Railing to Be Coveted by All Who See It
This Oaktree has managed to intertwine into the staircase railing it grew next to. We're not sure who was there first, the staircase or the tree, but the two now have a symbiotic relationship without hindering each other. The tree looks gorgeous like it was purposefully placed there to give the rails some "flavor" while the staircase railing seems to have been placed there for the tree to grow in some pretty unique styles. We are just in awe of the growing abilities of this Oak. Definitely a show stopper and not a sight you can merely just walk past without looking twice.
Oak is a tree or shrub in the genus Quercus beech family called Fagaceae. There are around 500 extant species of trees all from the Oak species. A well-known tree is used in many expensive furniture pieces. We hope this one gets left alone to live its life embedded in his friend, the staircase rail.
Alfred and the Tree - An Adult Animation
This would make a great adult animation where a tree made friends with Alfred's soul hanging around the graveyard. Eventually, Alfred tells the tree how disappointed he is in the tombstone his family chose and pays the tree with his dreams and the ability to see in color, to rip the tombstone in half. Eventually, Alfred’s hovering soul must pay the rest of his debt to the tree but has no idea how, as he has nothing to give. Alfred lost all of his physical riches during the war in the 1800s’ when he was still living in his human body.
The tree gets angry and digs up Alfred’s body but has to ask his permission before entering, as these are the laws for souls entering human form. Alfred agrees and settles his debt. The tree dies but his soul now lives in Alfred’s body and now he has to pay taxes.
The Abandoned Putzar Castle in Germany and the Tree That Guards It
This tree growing on top of the gate to Putzar castle is known as “the gatekeeper” of Putzar castle. Putzar is actually the name given to the ruins made up of two mansion houses and not an actual castle, which stands in Putzar, Vorpommern-Greifswald district. The two houses were named “Joachimsbau, which was occupied until around 1970, andUlrichsbau which has been falling apart ever since the 18th century.
The whole structure is surrounded by landscaped parks and it holds a lot of rich family bloodline history when you dig a little deeper into its past. This tree has now decided to help guard it. Instead of being rooted into the ground, it makes a bit of a detour with its roots first leaping through cracks, stones and bricks before sucking nutrients out of the soil.
The Boat With the Green Rooftop
This boat seems to still be in mint condition with its colorful ropes and white curtains. It's almost like the people who live in this houseboat intended to have their garden on the roof. This might be a well-planned ecosystem where most of their vegetables grow? This whole set-up looks too good for this to be another abandoned "ship-wreck" story. Either way, those plants have been growing for quite some time.
Maybe the soil is fertile enough now to start planting some tropical fruit? The net surrounding the roof of the boat indicates that it catches those which fall off. So, who knows? We wish we could find someone to go knock on their door. Anybody home?
When Nature Teaches a Broom a Lesson
This plant seems to be growing at the speed of light because by the looks of that broom, it's still in very good condition, not indicating that it has been standing there for long at all.
According to research, ivy grows up to 9 feet a year once it is settled in the stable ground and reaches its full speed growing potential after three years. When placed in indirect sunlight like this ivy here, it maximizes its growth rate.
The Moss Kingdom of the Quinta Da Regaleira in Portugal
We are enthralled by its beauty. This breath-taking beauty is the Moss Kingdom in Quinta Da Regaleira in Portugal.
Some more information can be found on this beautiful palace but the fundamentals are that the palace was designed by Luigi Manini, an Italian architect, and was also nicknamed after its previous owner, António Augusto Carvalho Monteiro.
When Deserts Swallow Entire Houses
Dunes have been known to claim many homes, villages, vehicles, and even people. Here we have a house completely swallowed up by a river of sand. We know it is not too old as the satellite dish indicates a more modern way of life. There are many famous places known for the disappearance of houses due to large amounts of desert sand like Kolmanskop in Namibia, famous for its entire town being engulfed in sand.
It has led to one of the biggest tourist attractions in Africa with famous musical groups doing their photoshoots there for album covers. It has also birthed many great movies and famous Hollywood actors have been known to visit, making it even more popular. The whole area is known as "the forbidden zone" but people sneakily make their way to witness the power of nature everywhere they can.
Moss Grows in Each Letter Like It Was Planted There
Here we see a very old tombstone broken and laying flat after many years of being exposed to the elements. The moss is growing rapidly on the letters almost like it has been planted in them. With these encrypted tombstones and according to the era it was made in, geologists found that the letters have all been hand-carved. It’s an incredibly large piece to have hand-carved, making us really appreciate the time and energy it took to make each one.
Moss is usually found in damp or shady places close to a water source. They are tiny in size with non-vascular flowerless plants that grow in big bunches. Moss is a great way to protect soil from losing too much moisture and help the plants that grow in the moist soil to absorb all the water they need.
Both Music and Plants Have Ability to Trigger Emotional Response in People Suffering From Memory Loss
To see a musical instrument have plants grow through it is like music to our ears. Both represent life and an emotional experience that benefits the soul. Music and nature both can cure ailments like depression and study shows that both can help trigger a memory in those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease as they trigger an emotional response. The sound of the music and the smell of certain flowers and plants connect to receptors in the brain differently.
Both images in this photo have a profound ability to heal humans. Without being fully aware of this, we as humans need both to cope, thrive, heal and continue in life. We feel like getting this image blown up and framed to hang in the office or at home as a constant reminder of what is most important.
Plants Also Deserve to Be In the Spotlight
Growing beautifully in a dilapidated building, abandoned by humans, we find this fern thriving. Humans are very similar to plants, we also need the Vitamin D only given to us by the sun.
We can thrive if we fight to make a difference in any bad situation, and we can make any situation more beautiful by just being ourselves. There are so many lessons found in nature.
Sorry Sir, But You Can't Park There
The owners of this vehicle appear to have taken an extended holiday and if this city enacts parking fines, they could be in for a nasty surprise upon their return. Luckily for them, the surrounding nature has stepped in to help out, attempting to hide the poor person's vehicle from the cruel eyes of any passing parking attendant.
This striking image reveals to us how nature acts indiscriminately to all objects, whether intended to be permanent or not. The encroaching bush climbs effortlessly over buildings and cars alike and soon this car will simply disappear into the undergrowth, never to be seen again. Who knows what mysterious object is hidden under that other bump to the left?
The Restaurant at the End of the Universe
The odd yet organic shape of this old building almost lends itself to the natural invasion of grass and mold. It used to house a fancy restaurant, complete with sweeping glass windows reaching from the floor to the ceiling, allowing a 360-degree view of the surrounding beauty.
Now, you wouldn't even need to look out the windows if you wanted to dine in a natural environment, as you would have the grass growing under your very feet. Who would have thought that time and nature, when left untouched, could actually improve upon a seemingly perfect dining experience?
Getting “Tanked” By Nature
Nature is kind and gentle but with a perfect balance of brutal wrath when it is necessary. Humans will never understand why she can be so harsh, yet so blissful at the same time. Perhaps it is to teach us balance.
A life-saving quality that humans have forgotten over time. Mother Nature is fine without us and she will continue to prosper for the rest of eternity whether we learn to reconnect to her or not.
If these beautiful snapshots of nature intrigued you, you'll love what's up next. Coming up: Cheeky Wildlife Pictures That Are Sure To Make You a Laugh
If these beautiful snapshots of nature intrigued you, you'll love what's up next. Coming up: Cheeky Wildlife Pictures That Are Sure To Make You a Laugh