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This week I have chosen a photo post from two different ghost towns. There are lots of parallels, but at the same time they are totally different too. Both Kolmanskop in Namibia and Villa Epecuén in Argentina were once prosperous towns. Both were left as ghost towns, but for different reasons. Kolmanskop was swallowed by sand dunes when the people left, and the desert took over. Villa Epecuén was submerged under 10 meters of water when a dam broke. The inhabitants were evacuated. I have chosen to focus on photos that I think gives a good impression of these two towns. My very first post on Steemit in 2018 was from Kolmanskop. This time I have chosen mostly photos from the inside of the buildings.

KOLMANSKOP – a former diamond town in the Namib Desert

This town was once a prosperous diamond mining town. Most of these sand-filled houses are in ruins. Everywhere you will see collapsed walls. Broken windows. Visible pieces of wallpaper. Sand dunes covering the floors and old rusty furniture, bathtubs etc. I got a feeling of being exposed to the privacy of the former inhabitants. I had one morning at this place when I was all alone, except for another man. I felt as if the inhabitants could turn up at any moment… quite spooky. This has become a popular place for photographers. I am quite sure you might have seen photos from here.

The history behind Kolmanskop

It was in 1908 the first diamond discoveries were made. A worker discovered a shiny stone in the desert sand. When it turned out to be a diamond, it led to prospectors turning up. Only four years later Kolmanskop was established as a town around this production. At that time Namibia was a German colony and the German authorities wanted to protect these rich diamond finds. They made part of the area “Sperrgebiet” which means a forbidden zone. You need a permit to enter.

The wealth of this town can be seen in all the luxury that surrounded the inhabitants. When walking around the buildings you will see that there was a butcher, baker, post office, hospital and even an ice-making factory (I was inside). They had their own theatre and even a tram that is still standing at the entrance. The life in luxury didn’t last. By 1956 the town was completely abandoned. The first inhabitants started to leave in the 1930s when the diamonds were depleted. An even richer diamond field was discovered further south. They left most of their belongings behind. The sand from the surrounding desert took over town.

Today Kolmanskop seems to have come to life again. It has opened to tourists. Visitor centre, café and guided tours are now available. I did a guided tour the first day, to get information. Next day, I went out there again.

VILLA EPECÚEN – a former spa town by the salty Lake Epecúen

This town was also a prosperous town which experienced its heydays when rich Argentineans came for treatments. This town is located by the shores of Lake Epecúen only 6 kilometres from Carhue (this is where we stayed). The people who once lived here, did not move away by their own free will. They had to be evacuated because of natural disaster. By walking around the ruins, you will discover items that bear witness of the people who once lived here.

What happened to Villa Epecuén

During the 1920s this small town developed and became prosperous because of the lake. It was believed that the salty water in the lake had a healing effect on certain diseases. A railway station was built to connect Carhue with Buenos Aires. In this way the town was accessible. When this town was at its hight there were close to 275 businesses. The town could accommodate thousands of people. There were lots of restaurants, hotels and lodgings. When we walked along the main street, we saw the ruins of many hotels.

The town was submerged under water for 25 years

A disaster hit on a day in November 1985. Something happened to the weather. The dam broke. So did the dike that protected the town. The water rose slowly – up to 10 meters and the people were evacuated. For 25 years the town was underwater. When the water started to reside, it revealed the ruins covered in a layer of salt. When starting at the parking we walked down the main street towards the lake. When reaching the shores, we saw that part of town is still under water. The whole place was quite empty. We only met a few other people. It's not that easy to get here.The road from Carhue is covered with potholes, making driving a car quite a challenge. No facilities. Just the ruins.

CC @patjewell

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U.J

Kristiansand, Norway

All the photoes are mine, Ulla Jensen (flickr, Instagram and facebook)

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