The forgotten buildings

I know I haven't blogged in a while, so my comeback needs to be big. We ended up in an area yesterday near some fabulous forgotten buildings. I knew I needed to find them, and somehow quickly ended up in just the right spot. 

Standing in front of this building there was so much to take in. The details on the building...it must have been beautiful once. The state of decay and destruction...how did it go from beautiful to destroyed? The graffiti...I normally get upset when I see graffiti on forgotten places, but some of this graffiti was amazing, and I wanted to study it. It wasn't a quick spray of paint, it was a picture, a story, a message.

I wandered among these skeletons of buildings wondering what they were like years ago when they were filled with life. Even in their forgotten state, they were beautiful. Boarded widows, broken glass and yet, you could still see the details that made them special.

Last stop on our tour was the Savoy Hotel. One of those take your breath away places. It was HUGE. Seriously huge and yet somehow forgotten. How does a place this big become forgotten. I am in awe of this place and planning another visit back her soon.

We found this on a road trip.

A few months ago we went on a small road trip. I love road trips. I love the thrill of finding something fabulous along the way. I love the food too (all great road trips must have great food). This road trip did not disappoint. We found a fabulous restaurant, had plans to stop at my favorite forgotten school and we found this amazing building.

It was massive. I haven't discovered much on it yet, so if anyone reading this knows anything about it, please comment or email me (jessicacollinsphotography@gmail.com). I'm curious to know more about this beauty.

The tower just screamed to be photographed. The window below is the third floor of the tower. I love the peeling paint on the wall. It looks like a map of forgotten days.

We all know I have a weakness for doors and windows. These doors are definitely among my favorites.

Doors...

I love the details that make up the whole.  I love studying the doors, the windows, the details on the house or building.  I imagine the person who came home to that front door every day, the person who possibly hung holiday decorations around that door. I look at the forgotten factory and imagine the people who went through that door every day to work.

Below are some of my favorite doors.  They are all beautiful in their own way.

I thought the green door was awesome.  

This building was leaning so much, I was surprised it was still standing.

This building was so beautiful, but was in such a bad state.  I was not able to get many pictures of the front door because it was creaking and looked so unsteady in the wind.  I was nervous just standing in front of it.

If I had to pick a favorite door, it would be this pair...the doors to nowhere.  I imagine there was some sort of porch here that is long gone. 

I had to go back...

I love this convent sitting high up on a hill.  I find it mesmerizing, beautiful, and captivating.  It sits atop a hill, overlooking a river, and it is this magical place lost in time. 

I wasn't planning to photograph it again this weekend, but we ended up at a restaurant nearby....how could I not just drive by and soak in its beauty.

Last visit, I thought the clock might still be working (since I was there around 3:30), however yesterday, it was early evening, and the clock was still at 3:30.

The windows are amazing.  I LOVE that little roun window in the roof.  It is magical and I would absolutely want that to be my room just for the fairytale little window.

The windows---it's always about the windows. I love catching a glimpse of these rounded beauties as we continued along the road.

The ivy covered cross is amazing. The broken stained glass window made me sad, one would hope windows that high might possibly survive.

I just love this place. It amazes me how something this big, this beautiful, this captivating, just sits on top of a mountain forgotten.  I will go back again....and hopefully, I can get permission to visit, walk the grounds and capture more of the little details that make this place so amazing.

For sneak peeks of these beauties as I find them, be sure to follow me on instagram @jessicacoffee.

I looked up and saw this....

I heard about an abandoned convent and church, and I added it to my "to photograph" list.  I began to research it, and knew immediately it was something worth seeing. 

I didn't make plans for my visit yet, but knew I needed to see it soon. I was driving home from a day out, and saw a sign for the town it is in.  I immediately wondered what the chances were that I would find it without the map I had saved on my computer, or how far it could possibly be from where I was (sitting in my car looking at the sign)....and then I looked up.  There it was on the top of the hill right in front of me.  If that isn't begging me to check it out, I don't know what is.  I immediately found my way up to it.  I didn't have my camera on me, so all of these were taken with my cell phone.

The church....I saw this first as I made my way up the hill.  I can't even begin to imagine how beautiful this was before the windows were boarded up, and the stained glass windows were still here.  Even boarded up, the windows are still amazing.

I continued to the top of the hill, and found the convent (or possibly school?) behind the church.

 Doors that lead to nowhere....at some point there must have been a 2 story porch on this side of the building.

The last view as I headed back down the hill.  I could stare at this building for hours.

I need to make a trip back with my camera and try to capture to amazing beauty of this place. Definitely will be trying to get permission to visit and really explore.