Explore the abandoned world

A weed-covered iron greenhouse next to a Belgian castle might give some people pause, but not French photographer Jonathan “Jonk” Jimenez. “It’s a rusty place with broken windows, but it’s still beautiful. I like to find beauty where people think it can’t be found,” Jimenez explains.

Một nhà kính bị bỏ hoang ở Bỉ — An abandoned greenhouse in Belgium

Jonathan Jimenez, 34, who goes by the name "Jonk," has been taking photos since he was 11. Over the past five years, he has visited more than 700 abandoned locations in 33 countries on four continents. The result is a photo book calledNaturalia: Reclaaim by Nature, which documents how nature creeps in and takes over long-forgotten structures.

Chân dung nhiếp ảnh gia Jonathan Jimenez — Portrait of photographer Jonathan Jimenez

Nhà kho bị bỏ hoang ở Đài Loan — Abandoned warehouse in Taiwan

Đoàn tàu bị bỏ hoang ở Hungary — Abandoned train in Hungary

Bồn chứa nước bị bỏ hoang ở Đài Loan — Abandoned water tank in Taiwan

Quán bar bỏ hoang ở Croatia — Abandoned bar in Croatia

With a deep love for street art, Jimenez began his journey by documenting graffiti artists in Barcelona, who used deserted city spaces as canvases. When he returned to his hometown of Paris, Jimenez began exploring the urban world from hidden corners. He climbed rooftops, weaved through subway tunnels, and spent days underground, exploring the inner areas of the city’s catacombs. Now, he is focusing on exploring locations outside the city.

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Nhà thờ bị bỏ hoang ở Ý — Abandoned church in Italy

Một góc rất — A very "poetic" corner in the abandoned house

Nhà hát bỏ hoang ở Cuba — Abandoned theater in Cuba

However, Jimenez also warns that people should think carefully before intending to visit abandoned places. Sometimes, just out of curiosity and a desire for thrills, many people decide to invade the privacy of those places. Jimenez recounted the time he visited a brewery in northern France, when the guard dog barked loudly, the police rushed in to question him. “The invasion I am talking about here is because I entered places that are classified as private property, not trespassing in the sense of destroying anything,” Jimenez said. “After realizing I was just a photographer, they let me go.”

Continuing his search for forgotten places, Jimenez photographed an abandoned Soviet military base in Belarus, then explored a green-covered castle in Croatia. Rather than studying the history of places, Jimenez prefers photography as a way to capture a specific moment in time as it passes. Weathered buildings remind us of the inevitability of history. Eventually, the natural world will reclaim what is rightfully itss.

Tu viện bỏ hoang ở Bỉ — Abandoned monastery in Belgium

Hầm chứa đồ bị bỏ hoang ở Tây Âu — Abandoned bunkers in Western Europe

Dấu vết phong hóa — Traces of weathering

“It’s poetic and magical to see how Mother Nature reclaims what was once hers,” Jonk said. “Through broken windows and cracks in the walls, spaces built by humans and then abandoned by humans are finally reclaimed by nature.”

Lâu đài bị bỏ hoang ở Croatia — Abandoned castle in Croatia

Khách sạn bỏ hoang ở Croatia — Abandoned hotel in Croatia

Nhà thờ nhỏ bị bỏ hoang ở Pháp — Abandoned chapel in France

“When people look at these abandoned places, they tend to look at the dark side and imagine a post-apocalyptic world,” Jonk said. “But for me, what I want to show through my photos is that nature is always stronger than humans. In the end, nature wins.”