their cameras and the explorers’ flag. Urban exploration includes abandoned places high above a city and far beneath it.These 105 images are a salute to roof topping and underground tunnel urban explorers across the globe.
Never Dare A Hacker
(image credits:wikipedia,mallix,Vanishing Point,Break,deadmind)
Like baiting a hacker with the phrase “unhackable,” roof and tunnel hackers take it as a personal challenge that a roof or a utility tunnel is not accessible. Furthermore, labeling any place with “unauthorized exploration is prohibited” is somewhat of a dare to be proven wrong. It moved past college pranks. Urban explorers picked up their cameras and the flag of exploring inaccessible and rarely-seen places. Never dare a hacker . . .Roof & Tunnel Hackers
(image credits:infiltration.org,Virginia Tech Steam Tunnels,hacks.mit.edu)
Born in the 1970s from the game ADVENT and MIT, vadding started as exploring underground tunnels and accomplishing collegiate pranks on roofs. MIT pulled off many pranks on top of a university building. They and other campuses explored underground utility spaces like steam tunnels. Participants learned the art of lock picking or of finding an unsecured entry point to gain access. One motto whispered then is still whispered now, “Don’t ruin it for all of us.”Invisible Frontier
(image credits:Jinx Magazine)
Roof hacking shifted as more urban explorers enjoyed taking photos of the skyline. They shared their views from the top on down through the building. Both roofing high above the ground and urban spelunking became a new and invisible frontiers to be explored.Under or Above
(image credits:Jasmin Cormier,caribb,sprengben)
Most of this exploration takes place in abandoned places where there are security guards to dissuade entry. Underground exploration might be accessed through a maintenance door, manhole, or mine shaft. Accessing a roof generally involves climbing an exterior ladder, up through a trapdoor, or flights of stairs.No Access To Roof
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No access to roof, huh? We’ll just see about that. However, with heightened security worldwide, gaining access to a flat roof is not a piece of cake either. For those explorers with the hunger for it, where there’s a will, there’s a way. Most of the top images were taken after explorers infiltrated the Customs Building in Cape Town, South Africa.Like Parking of Old…
(image credits:Stuck in Customs Trey Ratcliff)
Once upon a time, couples parked high above their city or town at some type of lover’s lookout. You can be sure it was not all about the view. There was a thrill associated with it. It’s also thrilling to some explorers to view the city below, but they do it in the midst of the urban jungle and not far removed like from a lover’s lookout. Roof hacking grew in popularity and the name morphed again to roof topping.Rooftopping
(image credits:Bradley Garrett)
A brilliant point was made on Bradley L. Garrett’s site with both words and the stunning photos above. Notice the shirt, “I’m a photographer. NOT a terrorist!” Some people have a passion to explore and to capture those moments far above the busy world below. It’s not at all about vandalism. It’s also not like they are cat burglars. Despite the safety risks, putting aside arguments of possible accidents and lawsuits, what harm are roof toppers doing? They meet the challenge of infiltrating the roof, get their adrenaline rush, and share their awesome views with us through pictures.Roof Silos
(image credit:pixdaus)
Get in. Get it done. Get out. Due to the murky legalities of it, roof topping photographers rarely release detailed reports of the pictured location. Nor do they go about shouting their names and the names of their comrades. Again, somewhat like computer hackers, they find a way to meet the challenge and share the details with a select few like-minded explorers.Roof Tops
(image credits:danila85,Urban~Spaceman,opacity)
You can practically go around the world through rooftop views. The rounded domes are located at Maharishi Mahesh Ashram in India where the Beatles wrote most of their White Album. The top right image is from a roof overlooking the abandoned kitchens at a Royal Air Force Base in Lincolnshire, England. The bottom right picture was taken from the rooftop of Normansfield Hospital in the UK, looking Toward the Thames.Abandoned City – Al Qsar – Egypt
(image credits: Derelict Places)
Roof topping in Egypt, this is the view over the abandoned medieval city of Al Qasr. This mud-architecture in the Dakhla Oasis is open to tourists. Down below, there is an olive press and a catapult that still works. The streets are narrow, made for carts and not cars.Rooftop Views
Since tour maps are not handed out at the door, rooftop views help explorers get their bearings. The left shows the River Bend from the Hotel Sterling. On the right is the Labyrinth below at Eastern State Penitentiary.
This gorgeous capture is from above Agios Theodori Church at Firostefani, Santorini. The brilliant blue water around the small Greek Island of Therasia provides a stunning backdrop.
(image credits:opacity,opacity,Marcel Germain,Derelict Dream,Derelict Dream)
From the Urban Exploration Photography site, Derelict Dream, there are great rooftopping and tunneling images. Some are dizzying above the distorted city below. The bottom urban image, from high above Toronto, is summed up with lyrics from Lord of the Rings. Do not look down. Nor step too close. The silence will take you. It will swallow you whole.Tower Cranes & Other High Places
(image credits:Derelict Dream,squirrel brand,Derelict Dream,squirrel brand)
Roof hacking sometimes involves other than roofs. Any high point, such as tower cranes, provide stunning views of the city landscape below. The city sign is being used as a jungle gym and lookout. Urban explorer HI-LITE specializes in shooting photographs from both extremes, high above the city or deep below in underground spaces.Different Perspectives
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Unless you are an urban explorer, then rooftop views give a different perspective than most people normally see. On the left is a rooftop view from now demolished insane asylum Danvers State Hospital in Massachusetts. The top right is looking out a cupola at psychiatric Severalls Hospital in Essex, UK. The spotlight was at Old Saint Nicholas Coal Breaker. After demolition, these views are something that cannot be captured or shared again.(image credits:28 Days Later)
These were taken from Bucklersbury House in London. Landmarks surrounded this building which was marked for demolition. Construction started on Bucklerbury House in 1953 and was completed in 1958. There were 14 Floors. During construction, the remains of the Roman Temple of Mithras were discovered.Wonder Awaiting Inside
An urban explorer never quite knows what will be awaiting them during an infiltration. The spiral staircase is at Maltings “S” and titled Elegance Unravelling. The top right is the Shedding Skin of abandoned Fort de la Chartreuse in Liège, Belgium. Nature is reclaiming the communal area at Asylum “W.”
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