New Urban Relics
februari 13, 2026
Read moreAfter the resounding success of our first eastern German roadtrip, a second edition was soon in the works. Our second road trip in this region took us even further into the former East Germany, specifically the Berlin-Dresden-Leipzig triangle. This time, too, we were able to visit several beautiful locations…
Overview
Prison 1555
After a few hours of driving, our first stop presented itself: a former moated castle from the Middle Ages, which has been rebuilt and expanded several times throughout history and is best known and infamous in the collective memory for its last purpose, namely a prison. In urbex circles, people sometimes refer to it as ‘Frauenknast’ (women’s prison). This misconception arose from the urbex name ‘Hinter Gittern: Frauenknast’, which refers to a German television series with the same name. In reality, the prison housed both male and female inmates.
This prison had been on my wish list for many years, but since it’s a few hours drive away from where we are based, it’s not exactly a place you can just drive to for a quick explore. We practically passed by during our road trip, and of course, we couldn’t pass up this unique opportunity!
It took a bit of searching to find an entrance, but once we found it and—with a bit of scrambling—got inside, we were able to wander around undisturbed for several hours and take photos. The gigantic complex also contains many furnished prison cells, each one more ‘luxurious’ than the last.
Töpferei
Our first brush with industry on this road trip was this dilapidated, yet still remarkably beautiful, pottery factory. This once-thriving business went bankrupt in 1996, and it clearly shows. A nearby river flood a few years later didn’t help matters either.
The first room we entered was heavily vandalized, and our hearts sank a little. Such an old factory, where you can practically walk into, all too easily falls prey to the vandalism of local youths. Miraculously, the vandalism was limited to those first few rooms, which may once have been the factory’s administrative section. The actual production area remained beautifully intact, aside from the natural decay. And that natural decay was prominent. In some places, where the buildings had already partially collapsed, it was decidedly risky to walk around on the crumbling floors… Obviously that didn’t stop us from doing it anyway!
Kraftwerk P
We kicked off the second day of our road trip with a visit to the phenomenal Kraftwerk P power station, which, along with the other Kraftwerk V power station (see below), was my personal main goal for this excursion. This impressive piece of industrial heritage had been high on my wish list for a long time…
Upon arrival at the headquarters, things looked bleak. A white van, prominently parked in front of the main entrance, suggested there might be security on the premises. After a bit of a wait-and-see approach, we ventured over the side of the fence. Like ninjas, we crept through the lush undergrowth and then quickly and skillfully lowered ourselves through a broken window in the first building. From there, we were able to enter the second building, the main one, with relative ease. Success!
Once inside the buildings, we were able to do our thing undisturbed. It turned out our concerns were unfounded. The white van belonged to the fleet of a nearby transportation company.
Paradis des Moustiques
The second stop of day 2 took us to this abandoned sanatorium with a very dark past… During World War II, it was incorporated into the Nazi ‘euthanasia program’. Thankfully little to nothing remains of those horrors of the past today. The complex consists of a collection of detached pavilions, all of which have fallen into a fairly advanced state of disrepair. In total, there are about fifteen pavilions on the grounds. Since we unfortunately didn’t have time to see them all, we chose four to capture on camera…
The combination of the wooded surroundings and the sultry summer weather brought hordes of mosquitoes, both inside and outside the buildings, that collectively viewed us as a walking dinner. Hence the name: Paradis des Moustiques, the mosquito paradise…
Altersheim am See
Day three: Just like with the previous location, we had to choose from the many pavilions on this enormous estate. This former rest home has about 20 buildings, most of which only contain rooms for seniors. The main building in the center of the estate served as a leisure area, including a large theater, the entrance of which you can see in the photo below. Despite the fact that you can practically walk onto the estate unhindered, there’s relatively little vandalism to be seen. Not a spectacular location, but with its lovely decay still worth taking in as you drive by.
Reichsbahn Zentralschule
Our next stop took us to this unique location with a rich and varied history. Originally established as a gunpowder factory and fireworks laboratory, it was later transformed into a German railway facility, where, in addition to maintaining equipment and rolling stock, schooling was also offered.
During World War II, the complex was seized by the Russian army and housed barracks. The Russian army remained there until the fall of the Berlin Wall. Since then, whatever remained undemolished by the Russians has been left to decay. It’s not a particularly large location, but it does have some interesting spots. It’s a shame about the excessive graffiti.
Kegelbahn
At the end of a day of exploring, a little relaxation is a welcome change. A game of bowling, for example… This old bowling alley is the perfect setting!
It took us a while to figure out exactly where we were supposed to go, and once we were on the grounds, we had to wade through a jungle of brambles and nettles, but we finally reached our destination. And what a destination!
It was immediately apparent that this bowling alley had been abandoned for many years. Half the roof had collapsed, and the floorboards—whatever little was left of them—were rotten to the core from years of humidity. But for those who appreciate extreme decay, this is a true gem. A lovely way to end the third day of our trip.
Kraftwerk V
The fourth and final day of our tour brought us to the second highlight of the trip: this monumental lignite-fired power plant. Another location that had been at the top of my wish list since forever. This power plant has been decommissioned for 26 years, resulting in a beautiful natural decline. From the old, albeit empty, turbine hall, to the beautiful, rusty boiler house, to the impressive control room: something beautiful lurks around every corner.
Upon arrival, we saw the security company’s vehicle parked on the property. It was quite a challenge to walk all the way around the back unnoticed, crossing a fairly large open area before we could enter the building through a hole in the wall. What a beautiful location! A feast for the senses…
Rittergut C
On the way home, with quite a few kilometers already under our belts and still plenty to go, we stopped at the last stop of our excursion.
This small chateau, a so-called ‘Rittergut’ (Knight’s Mansion), was almost completely empty, but still had some lovely nooks and crannies to offer, not in the least the beautiful wooden staircase with the stained-glass window. Getting inside wasn’t too much of a challenge, and since it’s quite remote, even the local youths never bothered to venture in. The whole thing is beautifully preserved. Not the most spectacular location of our trip, but still worth taking in as we drove past.
A perfect ending for another perfect road trip!
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