Barczi Tamás – What is Urban Exploration?

Urban Exploration or Urbex is about breaking the plans and rules. It is about experiencing a side of a city which scarcely anyone sees.

When a traveler visits a town, plans the places to be seen, reads the info about the sights, and makes a timetable when to visit the places overcrowded with tourists. This however deadens the feeling of exploration. Every cathedral becomes a little less unique as you pile more on top of it. As the feeling of actually exploring something evaporates from trips, the very essence of the trip is lost.

To many Urban Exploration is a fitting alternative. It means the exploration of man-made structures, seeing the non-public scenes of well known buildings, often abandoned or ruined ones. For example I am sure you have seen the castle hill a thousand times, but have you ever been on the top of Matthias Church? Or did you know that there is an abandoned trainyard fitting for any Mad Max films, just 15 minutes from Nyugati railway station? Interested? Then, Urbex is definitely for you.

The feeling of shock and awe is the most precious gift of tourism, and one could not imagine better activity to achieve this feeling than exploration. Inspiration fades with time passing, but you might re-experience it over and over when you encounter and discover something that is – seemingly – unknown to the rest of the world. No serious prior research is needed, no expert advice or commentary to depend on, it is just about the explosion of feelings.

Though even the most memorable places fade over time, the point is the sensation. The goal is not to fill your pockets, but rather to touch and release. You do not buy souvenirs, as you would do on a normal trip. The motto is: “Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photographs!”

 

Source of featured image: http://www.gq.com/

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