Abandoned Nordic is an art project launched in 2015, dedicated to revealing the haunting beauty of forgotten places. Through breathtaking photography and evocative micro-stories, we transform abandoned, otherworldly landscapes into mesmerizing works of art - escapist daydreams brought to life.

Our journey spans over 1,500 abandoned sites across Europe, from forgotten palaces to decaying, otherworldly factories - spaces where nature reclaims its ground, inviting mystery and wonder as decay transforms into extraordinary beauty.

More than exploration, this project is about capturing the timeless essence of these silent landscapes. With a keen eye for detail and an unmatched sense of atmosphere, we craft striking imagery that unveils the surreal allure of hidden worlds.

Abandoned Nordic invites you to leave the everyday behind and step into the dreamlike stories these forgotten places have to tell.

The Photographer

Hi, I'm Tanja, a freelance photographer from Helsinki, Finland, specializing in architectural photography. Photography has always been my way of exploring the world, but abandoned places offer something unique—they combine history, adventure, mystery, and visual beauty in a way that few other subjects can.

I'm especially drawn to the strange and surreal moments that make it feel as though you've stepped into another world. Forgotten architecture, weathered textures, dramatic light, and the quiet way nature reclaims abandoned places all inspire my work. Rather than simply documenting these locations, I aim to create atmospheric, cinematic images that capture both their beauty and their mystery.

For me, every journey is both an adventure and a creative process. Finding hidden places, experiencing them firsthand, and transforming those moments into photographs is what continues to inspire me. Almost every trip I take now includes a search for forgotten places—because once you start seeing the world through the eyes of an explorer, there's no going back.

The Writer

Hi, I'm Kimmo, the writer and researcher behind Abandoned Nordic.

Every abandoned place has a story waiting to be uncovered. While Tanja captures its atmosphere through photography, I explore its history—searching archives, old maps, newspaper articles, and local memories to understand what once happened there and why these places were eventually left behind.

I'm fascinated by forgotten history, whether it's hidden inside an abandoned hospital, beneath the sea in a shipwreck, or deep inside a cave. Every place has its own character, and I enjoy bringing those forgotten stories back to life.

Alongside our historical articles, I also write the fictional micro-stories we share on Instagram. Inspired by the atmosphere of the places we visit, they add another dimension to our photographs, blurring the line between history and imagination.

For me, Abandoned Nordic is about connecting the past with the present. Every location is more than a beautiful ruin—it is a fragment of history waiting to be rediscovered, and through our stories we hope to give these forgotten places a voice once again.

Our Values

We respect private property and the history of every place we visit. We only enter abandoned buildings through already open entrances—never by forcing locks, breaking windows, or causing damage. We leave every location exactly as we found it, taking nothing but photographs and leaving nothing behind.

We also choose not to share exact locations. Discovering forgotten places is an important part of the experience, and withholding locations helps protect them from vandalism and unnecessary attention. We hope these places can remain preserved for future explorers who share the same respect.