Explore #3 of the ‘Lightweights & Heavyweights’ Tour
After our bucket list explore of Kelenföld Power Station we enjoyed a well-deserved McDonald’s breakfast, and then headed out of Budapest. Our next target was another huge derelict power station, but upon arrival there we found that demolition had started and the place was crawling with workers. So we decided to move on to another site we had pinned on our map – an abandoned military barracks…
History (abridged and rewritten from here)
First established by Franz Joseph I at the end of the 19th century, this grand building was built as a barracks for artillery units who had been assigned to what would become Hungary’s largest artillery range.
circa 1911
During World War I, the self-sustaining camp grew so large that it held a POW prison and even had its own currency.
circa 1911
The base was occupied by the Nazis during World War II, followed by the Soviet Red Army after liberation. The Russians remained the residents of the castle-like barracks until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1990, following which the troops stripped the building of anything of value, and it has lain abandoned and decaying ever since.
Our Explore
None of us knew much about this place before our arrival, so we didn’t have particularly high expectations. But we were all pleasantly surprised with what we found – some great decay, and a very enjoyable couple of hours exploring the full loop of buildings. The best views were from the top floors, looking over the completely overgrown internal courtyard. I also got to fly my drone, and will start with those shots as it gives a good overview of the layout of the site….
Hanging out on the ruined balcony…
The once grand entrance lobby, with gate leading into the overgrown central courtyard…
A typically stripped and trashed corridor…
Venturing up into the attic, I climbed in through the whole in the wall to the right of this shot…
…and cautiously clambered across this ruined rooftop into the next wing of the building…
This was one of my favourite rooms, full of smashed parquet flooring…
I finished the explore in the ruins of the former chapel…
These days it is a pretty sorry sight…
…but this is how it looked back in 1912.
…and I’ll leave you with one final drone shot.
We then decided to head back towards Budapest and have another crack at that power station… report from there coming next! 🙂
Thanks for your visit, I hope you enjoyed.
Adam X
8 comments
Great report Adam! I was here last Summer and it’s an amazing location. Really love your drone shots, as it’s difficult to gauge the scale of the place from regular shots. Such beautiful architecture that has really gone to ruin.
I’m guessing you didn’t encounter the local girl who ‘works’ in the building – another explorer described her as a zombie. Scared the life out of me & I nearly left before taking a single shot!
Thanks Robin, no thankfully our explore was an altogether more relaxed affair!
Hello, I love these photos of Hajamasker! I have recently figured out about its existence and would love to redraw this building in my style with your photo as reference. Would that be okay for you?
Hi Esther, thank you and yes that would be fine. Please send me a picture of your drawing once you’ve done it as I’d be interested to see it! Best wishes, Adam
Thank you for the quick reply! Sure, I’ll send you a pic! But I noticed I think I can’t upload the file on this comment, would you like to receive it via email?
Yes please – info@adamxphotos.com
This is blowing my mind, I truly appreciate your work excited to see more