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Matthias Haker is a German photographer and a student of computer science who discovered his passion for photography about 10 years ago. Since then he’s traveling around Europe to capture the beauty of abandoned buildings that is one of his favorite subjects to immortalize. The places that he photographs vary from old swimming pools to cinemas where humans let nature take its way quite a long time ago.
Those places are usually full of fungi, mold, plants, spider webs, snakes and other animals that do not sound so good at first, but the artist finds them special. What also makes Haker's works so unique is that he maintains the secret of the location, saying that the pictures have been made “somewhere in Europe”. Photographer says that a lot of vandalism, theft and other terrible things happen to those buildings, and it’s his way to protect them, which actually makes his pictures even more mysterious. Scroll down to see them for yourself!
More info: Instagram
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Thinairgal 7 years ago
Umm...it says above that the photographer keeps the location of each photo secret to help protect the buildings from theft and vandalism...
Zaha Cristina 7 years ago
This biulding has round the clock protection, and you can only enter it with a bribe or relations, it was opened on ocasions for the public to see and asist at awareness conferences...
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Connie Martin 7 years ago
It looks like the screen fits over the window to make it dark? I wish we had more information
Neal Evans 7 years ago
I wish we had any information. A place name or location couldn't be too hard ,could it?
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Carol Harrison 7 years ago
In the US the metal would have been stolen for scrap. This is so beautiful.
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Kerri Russ 7 years ago
I really wish they had the locations with these pictures... I'm curious where they are!
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Caitlin Smith 7 years ago
Although these titles always say "abandoned" and "untouched". They still do stage these a bit. Not saying it is wrong, because I'm sure it helps the photos convey the idea better. BUT, keep in mind there were probably aligned like this for a reason like to make it seem artsy - which it 100% is artsy so no hate.
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Kate Naughton 7 years ago
My only question is, why is there a piano in the pool? Just curious about the story on that one.
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Petra Schaap 7 years ago
thank you! I looked it up. What a shame, such a spectacular building.
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Lee A Moses 7 years ago
Why is there a tv in there. is this a picture that is set up to make people think this is real
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LRevello 7 years ago
That floor mosaic....! It would look so lovely restored, or with a bit of cleaning at least.
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Le Box of Shame 6 years ago
if I ever have my own country, one of our feats/values will be the appreciation and creation of beautiful architecture
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Thinairgal 7 years ago
This one looks a bit macabre to me - and does anyone else see the demon in the fireplace?
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Kathy Joyce 7 years ago
Yes I think so too! It looks like it wouldn't take much to bring this place back to it's former glory.
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Shandarley 7 years ago
I often wonder about the story behind such places. That kind of craftsmanship is obviously not cheap, but apparently, from the state of decay, they ran out of money at some point. Why?
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Lizard Queen 7 years ago
The wallpaper looks like it is Scheele green, which contained arsenic.
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Carol Harrison 7 years ago
As if they were there one day, and then gone the next. And yes, that happens.
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Kerri Russ 7 years ago
Indeed! It's beautiful! Love the chairs, the flowers on the cabinet doors, and the portraiture. Lovely!
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Dian Kristian 7 years ago
how is this so intact? I mean the little statue stay standing there. does the photographer fix it for the photo?
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Kerri Russ 7 years ago
A lot of abandoned churches in this set. Love these columns and the bas-relief on the altar.
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Lady cheryl Yates 6 years ago
beautiful photography !! congrats ! I,d love to know who lived in these places and why they are abandoned, that would fascinate me.
Kathy Joyce 7 years ago
Love the male and female figures carved and painted on the corridor, I'd like to walk through.
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Connie Martin 7 years ago
The TV set is an interesting anachronism. Maybe someone was really watching TV in bed in 1985?
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Elizabeth Butler 7 years ago
Don't blame it for being angry. So sad all these lovely places are allowed to die.
Load More Replies... Carol Harrison 7 years ago
Royal box seats? To see and be seen and then...they all disappeared.
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Elizabeth Butler 7 years ago
Some of these details would bring big dollars if sold to dealers here
Shandarley 7 years ago
I bet that built-in is mahogany and worth a few thousand (U.S.) at least
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Kathy Joyce 7 years ago
The piano looks like a butterfly, that flew into a brown, dreary place to cheer it up!
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Jozef Becker 7 years ago
If a chandelier falls and there is no one around, does it make a noise?
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Michelle Moore-Scognamiglio 7 years ago
if you add a point for each lonely piano but subtract for every church, would you break even?
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Mimis Nachbarin 7 years ago
Super Fotos! Ich war skeptisch, weil das ja nicht die ersten dieses Genres sind, scheint momentan beliebt zu sein dieses Motiv - aber... CHAPEAU. Die sind ganz toll. You already have an unique style and an excellent eye.
Brigitta Swart 7 years ago
Mathias, all your photos are beautiful. So many untold stories in them. I full understand your need not to disclose the locations. Well done!
DarkKinder 7 years ago
Why do these all look like CG images of famous abandoned places? Very beautiful, but very colorized from what I can see.. maybe is my phone..
Mimis Nachbarin 7 years ago
Super Fotos! Ich war skeptisch, weil das ja nicht die ersten dieses Genres sind, scheint momentan beliebt zu sein dieses Motiv - aber... CHAPEAU. Die sind ganz toll. You already have an unique style and an excellent eye.
Brigitta Swart 7 years ago
Mathias, all your photos are beautiful. So many untold stories in them. I full understand your need not to disclose the locations. Well done!
DarkKinder 7 years ago
Why do these all look like CG images of famous abandoned places? Very beautiful, but very colorized from what I can see.. maybe is my phone..
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