Welcome to Curious Abandoned. My name is Kolyn and I’m the explorer and storyteller behind this site. My fascination with forgotten places started close to home. I’m originally from Dublin in Ireland but I I lived for over a decade in Waterford, home of the world famous Waterford Crystal. The city skyline is dominated by the abandoned Jury’s Ard Ri Hotel. I found myself constantly looking up at it, wondering about its past. That curiosity sparked a passion. I began researching its history and I soon realised that every abandoned place, from a small local ruin to an entire ghost town, has a compelling story waiting to be told.
I created Curious Abandoned to be a place to share those stories. When you come to this site searching for a location, I want you to leave with a full understanding of its history, its life and the real reasons for its abandonment. To do this, I blend hands-on exploration with my own research. I travel to many of these locations myself, camera in hand, to document what’s left behind, from local sites in my native Ireland to international destinations like the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and the abandoned F1 circuit in Valencia, Spain.
This site is my dedicated project for these unique, forgotten places. You can follow all of my other travels on my main blog, curioustourists.com. My husband Denis and I also run a very active YouTube channel, The Curious Tourists, where we post new travel videos from around the world.
For every location featured here, whether I’ve personally walked its halls or have dedicated hours to research, I do my best to piece together a rich, detailed and accurate narrative. Whether you’re a seasoned urban explorer, a history buff or just share that same pull of curiosity, I’m glad you’re here.
Finally, an important note on responsible exploration. Visiting abandoned places can often be dangerous and may be illegal. Many sites are on private property are not structurally sound or contain hazardous materials. I always advocate for safe and respectful exploration. Our goal is to preserve the memory of these places, not to damage them. Please always remember the urbex motto – take only pictures, leave only footprints.