Category: ruins

Window to nowhere

The wall has an opening, it is a window leading somewhere, nowhere. Picture taken in the Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photowalk

window to nowhere

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Red Shoes Pinup

As the title says, a pinup photo with a pain of high heeled red shoes.

red shoes pinup

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Christmas ghost

This Christmas tree globe in the summer is like a ghost of the Christmas past

christmas ghost

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Sticlariei Park

Behind the abandoned glass factory there is an abandoned park, called Parcul Sticlariei (English: Glass Factory Park). The urban legends say it never opened as a park, despite large sums of money being invested and it being ready for opening a few times. Now it looks like a jungle inside the city, fascinating.

sticlariei
sticlariei
sticlariei
sticlariei

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May Day is Workers Day

The old communist regime prided itself with its factories, many of them being useless, intended mostly to produce… workers. Is no wonder so many of them are now abandoned (well, the causes for abandon are multiple, is also the temptation of quick money we see those days and the general ruin of the country). So yesterday for the May Day I visited the ruins of an old glass factory, Stiteh, somewhere in Bucharest (near Republica). Is a complete ruin, but guarded, I was allowed to take only pictures from the outside.

stiteh
stiteh
stiteh

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Luxury photography

Hunting for my latest batch of photos for the Wiki Loves Monuments photo contest, I encountered this building, which is not a historical monument, but still an interesting sight. Ans you can probably see is a former shop, which had a “FOTO LUX” sign, if not obvious, that is Romanian for “Luxury Photography”. Think of the past glory of this place…

luxury photography

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Autumn again

Leaves started turning yellow and orange, soon they will go even red and brown. It’s autumn again.

poienari

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Cârța reloaded

After a hurried visit a few months ago, I had the opportunity to re-visit the ruins of the Cârță Cistercian monastery, for a deeper research and some Wikipedia photos.
I was impressed to see how trusty and open the people there are: the monastery is locked, so a neighbour just gave me the key so our small group was allowed to roam free inside the ~700 years old historical monument, we had only to give it back when done. I guess we look trusty.

carta
carta
carta

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Hell

The naive painter of this old wooden church from a Romanian village had his own vision on hell and the tortures people getting there will have to endure. The painting is hundreds of years old and made on wood, so it became pretty damaged, which is a shame, but you still can understand it and have a good laugh.

hell

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Up the ladder

This ladder is not just pointing to the sky, is part of the entrance to the cell of Dionisie Torcătorul, so it may have a bit of extra holiness.

ladder

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Incursion in Luana Land

Sorry for the following long post, is unusual but covering the topic in another way it would be harder. Recently I had the opportunity for a trip in Buzău Mountains, also known as the kingdom of Luana, a less known part of Romania, where out guide told us a lot of legends and stories from prehistory, ancient history, medieval history, modern history and current times, a fabulous mix which would make, I think, good material for something like an entire season of Stargate SG1. Take all stories below with a grain of salt (I do that).

The first objective was an animal (reptile) shaped stone, which have some old inscriptions and based on its shape, may have been used as a sacrifice altar back in the ancient times. It also has a base that may cover some things below.

luana

Then a circular portal, pretty much looking like the Stargate portals which may be a gate, if you know how to activate it.

luana

The cell of hermit Dionisie Torcatorul is documented from the medieval times, but is a cave which, upon the looks of the carving may have been used by Dacians in the ancient times and even before that, in the stone age.

luana

As many other objective from that age, Dionisie’s cell is guarded by a phallic symbol/sculpture:

luana

Fundul Peșterii is something unique as is a stone age / prehistoric living place in a vaginal shape:

luana

And next to it, there is another phallic symbol:

luana

Tihăria is a mountain, but is also a wall, like a part of the walls of the citadel of the giants, who lived there before humans. Maybe the city of king Luana, which was guarded by a sun:

luana

Somewhere in the forests there are springs with water of life, which king Luana used to heal and revive people. Those may be the sulphuric springs I drank from myself (I don’t feel special now):

luana

Also carved in stone is Iosif’s little church, which is also documented from medieval times and probably lived long before that.

luana

At Scaunele Spătarului, the legendary Negru Voda, founder of the country, brought his captains and have them titles and lands around, their names can be found in the mountains nearby.

luana

And you can see with your eyes prehistoric writings:

luana

The cave church in Aluniș is known from medieval times, but it was built on an older cave:

luana

The living quarters next to it are unlike Christian living quarters, so they have to be Dacic, at least

luana

As the sacrificial stones and altar above:

luana

There are tunnels everywhere, in many cases triangular and they have magic properties, possibly teleporting people in various places far away:

luana

Piatra Ingăurită was again a medieval hermit church hosting people fleeing away from anti-Christian prosecution, but by the look of the carving, it seems used since stone age

luana

Crucea Spătarului is a sign on the mountain, from more modern times (XIX century) when a noble wanted to hide his treasury

luana

As there is near a map for finding it. If only one can read it…

luana

Before the forest grew, Ghereta was a good observation point over the entire valley and the entrance in the giants (before the human times) citadel:

luana

Bucătăria looks like a kitchen and hat smoke leftovers on the ceiling, but it looks like the place for the holly fire of Dacians:

luana

Țurțudui mountain is an old place, with prehistoric carvings, but it was also a place where supposedly the military in the 80’ies conducted paranormal researches

luana

And when the experiments ended with a disasters, they dynamited the place (I am not sure the dynamite effects looks like that) and blocked the path by cutting trees

luana

Agatonul Now was yet another medieval hermit church for refugees:

luana

And before it, Agatonul Vechi was used, until destroyed by an earthquake:

luana

Closer to the valley and civilisation, the Fundătura monastery was prosperous back in its medieval times:

luana

Near Rugionasa you can see pictographic writings, similar with Sumerian tablets:

luana

And also a yearly calendar, reminding of the Sumerian civilization

luana

If you raise your eyes, on the other mountain you can see a human face, a bearded Dac

luana

Not far from there, in Ulmeț, you can find some trovants or babe, curiously made growing stones, which you can’t tell if they are natural or man made.

luana

An Stargate SG1 season I said? Well… thinking there are many other place we lacked the time to see, I would say maybe two.

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A trip to fortified churches in Transylvania

I had the opportunity for a trip to medieval fortified churches in the county of Sibiu in Transilvania, those are built by Germans around the XIII century and preserved in various states, from ruins to fully functional. The first to visit was Cisnădie, which is well preserved and functional, being located in the middle of the city with the same name:

cisnadie

Then Cârța, a spectacular ruin in a small village, probably the first Gothic building from this region:

cisnadie

Dealu Frumos was hard to photograph being under restoration works and covered with scaffolds:

cisnadie

Hosman is a larger complex and next to it has a large cemetery:

cisnadie

Slimnic is very large and also very damaged by time and hostile forces:

cisnadie

Apparently small on the outside, Valea Viilor has plenty of things inside waiting to be discovered:

cisnadie

The last visited, and probably the most complex, was Biertan:

cisnadie

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Bradisor

This is not a military base:

bradisor

And it is not a scene from the Waterworld movie:

bradisor

Is not either a prison/torture chamber/death camp:

bradisor

Then what it is? Is a fish nursery on the Bradișor lake in Lotru mountains of Romania, used to grow lostriță (salmon).

bradisor

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The old theatre

In Bazilescu park of Bucharest there are the ruins of a former summer theatre, unfortunately the area is close and guarded by hungry dogs, you cannot take pictures as you wish. Too bad, since is a wonderful location.

columns

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More Mino, More Assan

In case you liked the photos with Mino at Moara lui Assan, here are some more of them, enjoy!

mino assan

mino assan mino assan

mino assan

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