Urbex FAQ

I quite often get messages and emails with questions regarding my urban exploring posts - most of them being about locations and tips - so I decided to do a quick summary of them here. Please don't take everything you read here at face value as these are just my opinions. Please use common sense when reading these tips and if you have legal questions or doubts - seek out professional advice. If you have questions regarding what equipment you should take when urban exploring - we have a whole separate article dedicated to that topic (coming soon).

If you do have any questions that you'd like to ask me - feel free to contact me via my contact page.

Urban Exploring FAQs

What is Urban Exploring?

Urban Exploring - or in most cases just urbex or urbexing is an activity that consists of exploring abandoned (man made) structures - often dubbed lost places - such as soviet military bases, hospitals, sanatoriums and castles.

Is Urban Exploring illegal?

No, Urban Exploring in itself isn't illegal - but there's a very large grey area and one can very easily break the law. Entering buildings and structures without the owners explicit permission is in most cases at least a misdemeanour. In Germany, if you access private property without legal permission - you are trespassing according the Article § 123.

What happens if you get caught urban exploring?

The consequences of getting caught urban exploring vary - depending on who catches you, what you are doing and where you are doing it. In Germany, if the police catches you exploring abandoned places without permission - you have committed at least a so called "Hausfriedensbruch". In most cases the police will take down your details and send you a fine or criminal charge. If the owner of the property decides to pursue with criminal charges - you will most likely end up with a court date.

Is Urban Exploring dangerous?

Urbexing isn't dangerous - but it can be. Abandoned buildings are more often than not extremely unsafe with floors and ceilings on the verge of collapse. Before entering any structure you should always check out the condition of the premises you are about to enter. Open roofs are always a sure sign that the elements have damaged floors and walls and made them dangerous to walk on. Listen to your gut - if you feel unsure about a place, its not worth taking a risk.

Can you take things from abandoned places?

No. Taking things from urbex locations - no matter how small or insignificant you think they are is theft. You do not own the property or the contents of it. Even if you think that the location is abandoned and no one will notice - you are still committing theft and inviting others to do the same.

How do I find abandoned places to explore?

There are many ways to find great locations to explore abandoned places. Google Maps and even better Google Earth are some of the most convenient tools to use. Both these apps let you easily and quickly discover new places from the comfort of your own home. Of course theres arent the only ways - old maps, history books and newspaper reports are also great sources - just slightly more time consuming. Of course there are a few more ways to find new and interesting places - but explaining everything would take out the fun.

Why do you give out some addresses and keep others "secret"?

No location is secret - some are just lesser known than others. Certain abandoned places deserve a degree of anonymity as too much publicity always attracts the wrong kind of people. Vandals, bored kids and disrespectful adventurers don't share the same values and sense of respect - and once a location becomes well known it is quickly overrun and destroyed. Some people deny this, but almost every urbexer can list off a whole string of locations that have been destroyed due to publicity and idiots.

Are there legal urban exploring locations?

Yes! Depending on where you are, there are plently of "abandoned" places that you can legally explore. In many cases there are official tours that can be booked so you can legally explore a location without having to worry. Sometimes all you need to do is ask the owner for permission, and you'd be surprised to as to how often youll be granted permission. If you're interesting in legal Urbex locations in and around Berlin - check out this article (coming soon).

What is the so called "Urbex Code"?

The most common Urbex Code that people reference ist "Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints". While it sounds tacky - it summaries a common set of values quite well. We also adhere to a few other rules - we never force an entry into any object. If something is locked, it's locked. We also despise vandalism.

Urbex Berlin: Ausländerlager Schönholz - AVUS Tribüne (+AVUS Südkurve) - Bahnbetriebswerk Pankow Heinersdorf - The Ballhaus in Grünau - VEB Bärensiegel - Checkpoint Bravo - The Abandoned Children's Home - The Cinema Directors House - The Lost Cabaret - The Classical Villa - The Eisfabrik - Flugzeughallen Karlshorst - VEB Fotochemische Werke Berlin - Freibad Lichtenberg - The Friedhofsbahn - 1950s Gas Station - The Heating Plant - Villa Heike - Iraqi Embassy - The Jungle Hospital - VEB Kabelwerk Köpenick - Kinderkrankenhaus Weißensee - Kino Sojus - VEB Kühlautomat - VEB Milchhof - The Müggelturm - VEB Rewatex - The S-Bahnhof Siemensstadt - Schloss Dammsmühle - Schwimmhalle Pankow - The School of Anatomy - Stadtbad Lichtenberg - Stadtbad Oderberger Straße - The Stasi Tower - The Switch House - U6 U-Bahn Tunnel - The Wernerbad - The Staatszirkus der DDR

Urbex Brandenburg: Adolf Hitler Lager / Forst Zinna - Avro Lancaster Crash Site - Bramo - Zümo Werk - Bunker Wünsdorf Zeppelin | Maybach I - Chemiewerk Rüdersdorf - The Artillerie Kaserne - Flugabwehr-Raketenabteilung 4123 - Flugplatz Alt Daber - Flugplatz Löpten - Flugplatz Rangsdorf - Carinhall - Fürstenbergs Soviet Murals - Gasthof zum Schwarzen Adler - Gut Gentzrode - Heeresbekleidungsamt Bernau - Jagdschloss Schwarzhorn - Kaserne Krampnitz - Kraftwerk Vogelsang - Lager Koralle - Lenin Bust Fürstenberg - Mars La Tour Kaserne Fürstenwalde - Olympiastadion Wünsdorf - Panzerkaserne Bernau - Papiermühle Wolfswinkel - Sanatorium E - The Stasi Hotel - Truppenübungsplatz Döberitz - Twin Villas Fürstenwalde - Abandoned Soviet Training Tank - Villa Bogensee - Flugplatz Werneuchen

Urbex Oranienburg: The SS Bath and Boiler House - Flugplatz Oranienburg - Funkbunker Karo Ass - Heilstätte Grabowsee - Munitionsdepot Oranienburg - SS-Hundeschule Sachsenhausen - The SS Hundertschaftsgebäude - Veruschsstelle für Höhenflüge

Urbex Germany: Hotel Fürstenhof - Kernkraftwerk Greifswald - The Machine Factory - The Nail Factory - The Textile Factory - Rapunzel’s Tower - The Soviet Helicopter - The White Castle - Weißen Häuser Rechlin

Urbex France: L’église du Bon-Pasteur
Urbex Hungary: Párizsi Udvar
Urbex Italy: Il Grande Cretto di Gibellina - Tonnara del Secco