49 Abandoned Landmarks That Are More Beautiful Than Ever

4. Kolmanskop – Namib Desert, Namibia

In the early 1900s, Kolmanskop sprang up almost overnight in the harsh Namib Desert after diamond miners struck it rich. German colonialists brought with them luxuries unheard of in the desert—ballrooms, a casino, a hospital, and even the first x-ray machine in the Southern Hemisphere. But as the diamonds dwindled by the 1950s, so did the population, and Kolmanskop was soon left to the sands. Today, it’s one of the world’s most surreal ghost towns. The desert, relentless and poetic, has crept into every room—dining halls filled waist-deep with fine grains, pianos silenced under sand drifts, and staircases leading to dunes instead of doorways. The pastel walls, worn by time, create an eerie pastel dreamscape that feels like a surrealist painting come to life. A popular subject for photographers, Kolmanskop is a poignant reminder of how quickly wealth can vanish—and how beautifully nature writes over what we leave behind.