The ghostly beauty of abandoned places

Abandoned sites have a special air that lends itself to morbid fascination. They are a mysterious space, governed by the poetics of the post apocalyptic and intrigue… I want to talk to you about the Club CELA.

The Explorers of Abandoned Places Club (CELA) was born in 2005 from a small group of fellow members of an internet forum, who met for the first time in an abandoned textile factory in Sabadell. Realizing that the photographs taken at the factory, dimly lit only by flashlights, they would be of singular beauty, they decided to organize a Club and Forum in which to display their pictures, share experiences and exchange information about most interesting abandoned places to be found in Spanish geography.

Once they had their own page on the Internet, this urban explorers club increased in size very rapidly, and has opened their doors to photographers, video artists, painters and curious explorers of varied backgrounds. The members have contributed more and more locations, all uninhabited places that were interesting and worth exploring, from mental hospitals to old abandoned military bases which have nearly become ruins. The exact coordinates of these places are not made public, especially to prevent overcrowding and keep them out of reach of vandals. The exploration of abandoned places carried out by members of the Club follows very strict rules … For example, it is forbidden to break or destroy anything, including doors and windows: there is always an access point that allows entry without a trace or breaking anything. One of the first challenges for explorers is to find it.

There are members of the Club CELA distributed throughout Spain, although one of the most active subgroups is in Madrid, where they hold regular meetings, plan expeditions and exchange photos and tips. So if you want to enter this exclusive club of urban explorers who are archaeologists of the recent past, you can rent apartments in Madrid and register at the CELA …

Tags: forgotten places