![]() The hotel was shut in 2005 because dwindling guest bookings meant it could no longer afford to employ the staff numbers needed to upkeep it. His most striking photographs are of the Hachijo Oriental resort – on Hachijo-jima island, once known as the Hawaii of Japan – but abandoned for over a decade. “A lot of Japanese teenagers are obsessed with horror movies and ghost stories so it’s become a big market.” “The collapse of the asset price bubble in the early 90s led to these abandoned places, which Japanese youths ended up photographing,” says Thoms. Photographer Shane Thoms has been capturing the fledgling scene for his upcoming exhibition “Haikyo: The Modern Ruins of Japan,” on display at Melbourne’s Sofitel Melbourne on Collins from Decemuntil February 28, 2017. The phenomenon there is known as Haikyo, literally meaning “ruins.” And the appeal of visiting them extends beyond Italy.Ībandoned buildings have become a growth market in Japanese tourism. Shane ThomsĪ volatile global economy left luxury hotels abandoned across the world. Hachijo Oriental Resort boasts sea views and French baroque architecture. “I can’t imagine a better place where East and West can meet in the name of beauty.”ĭreamland decay: The final moments of a forgotten theme park “People want to come to Sammezzano essentially to take photos, but Sammezzano is more than this,” says Sottani. Sottani is president of Committee FPXA, a group of local volunteers founded in 2013 to preserve the castle’s legacy and open it up to sightseers through rare viewings.ĭespite opening doors just six to eight days a year, it’s clocked up 15,000 visitors. “In a certain way they feel it is a part of their own lives, so everybody is deeply involved in its destiny.” “Sammezzano is private property, but people from Leccio go jogging in its wonderful park. “They all know and love Sammezzano,” explains Massimo Sottani, a former mayor of the town who worked as a waiter in the castle when at university, and held his wedding reception at the hotel in 1987. It stands in the sleepy town of Leccio – its population a mere 1,000 residents. The castle’s interiors have fallen prey to looters, leaving it with no running water or electricity – the cost of repairs proving too much for investors. On sale: Castello de Sammezzano could be yours for $14 million. ![]() Photographer captures the beauty of Europe’s abandoned buildings It’s been up for sale three times in the past two years, initially for $40.4 million, later a bargain $13.69 million. Sammezzano was auctioned off in 1999 to be renovated into a luxury resort, complete with spa and golf courses, but these plans failed. It was converted into a luxury hotel in the 1970s, but the business folded in 1990 when its majestic charms were sealed off from the world. The 17th century palazzo came of age in the 1800s when eccentric Italian nobleman Ferdinando Panciatichi Ximenes of Aragon spent 40 years turning its rooms into mosaic masterpieces inspired by the Arab, Indian, Persian and Spanish worlds. It’s been unused for more than two decades but has housed both nobility and paying guests. The magical Italian castle of Sammezzano, in the foothills of Tuscany, is a classic example. ![]() Their fall from grace speaks of shattered dreams, faded glories and unforgiving economic realities.Īnd yet, because they seem to still cling to the ghosts of happier times, they remain fascinating destinations, particularly for photographers and enthusiasts seeking to preserve remnants of their luxurious past. ![]() Once they were places where the wealthy came to play or the less fortunate came to experience a glamor beyond their usual means. When it comes to ruined buildings, it’s hard to match the poignancy of an abandoned luxury hotel. ![]()
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