To me, an urbex location is not an address to tick off a list. Researching it, understanding what a building once was and finding out whether you may photograph it are parts of the same process. A name online is only a starting point.

Map of Europe with blue, yellow and black markers from the original urbex overview.

A nickname is not evidence

Many buildings are given an alias. This offers some protection for the location but also makes research confusing. The same building may have different names on different websites. Conversely, the same nickname may refer to different buildings.

Compare the photographs and architectural features before adopting a history. Window arrangements, structural elements and fixed interior features offer better clues than a movable chair. A match helps assess sources; it does not prove every date or story they mention.

Check the date of a report too. An old photograph may show a building that has since been demolished or converted. A statement that it is “still accessible” may not have been updated for years. The internet preserves such claims longer than an owner keeps the doors open.

Research without using private information

Historical archives, heritage organisations and information from the owner are useful sources for a building’s history. Details in files and letters left behind are not automatically suitable. I do not use legible patient records or private correspondence to expose a hidden location.

A commercial list of coordinates is not an entry ticket either. The person selling an address is usually not the person authorised to give permission for the property. Whether another photographer once went inside says little about your own visit.

Where I draw the line

The original coordinate list appears below as part of the earlier account. I do not add directions to entrances or unnecessary identifying details to the photographic reports. Extra restraint is appropriate for houses that are occupied again.

The photographs remain a record of the building and the visit. They are not an invitation to enter closed property. The basics are explained in About urbex, and the legal side in Urbex and the law.

Looking around, with permission

There are also places where industrial heritage is deliberately made accessible. A museum, heritage open day, guided tour or photographic visit arranged with the owner, for example. An interesting series does not need a broken fence in the picture.

Always check the current arrangements and conditions for a visit. They may differ by building and activity. A location officially open to visitors can be at least as interesting photographically as somewhere with a dramatic nickname.

The original locations and coordinates

These entries come from my earlier article. The coordinates remain here as a historical reference. Some locations have since changed, been demolished or been converted. The list has not been verified as current visitor information and says nothing about permission, safety or opening arrangements.

  • Gare de Montzen — 50.720665, 5.957739.
  • Kent School — 51.208692, 6.307740.
  • Salve Mater — 50.855125, 4.777106.
  • Landschaftspark Duisburg — 51.480599, 6.783693.
  • Beelitz-Heilstätten — listed in the original article without coordinates.
  • Former prison in Berlin-Köpenick — listed in the original article without coordinates.
  • Camp Hitfeld — 50.734792, 6.134984.
  • Lost Tanks — 50.759949, 6.188821.

For an actual visit, check the current situation with an authorised owner or manager. An old pin on a map does not grant access.