Crumbling Locations Around Europe (PHOTOS)

Imagine a world overrun with plant life. This is the image that Viennese photographer Stefan Baumann envisions with his photographs.

Baumann, 34,  travels to countries like Italy, France, Germany and Belgium to capture uninhabited buildings that are left to nature’s elements. From vacant mansions to deserted theme parks, Baumann finds the artistic value in locations that are crumbling into ruins.

“It’s a strong surrealism, the high contrast between old, abandoned structures and new life,” said Baumann. His photographs also reveal the downside to man-made things—they’re temporary. “I love it when nature takes back what was once hers and when there are clearly visible signs that even massive architectural structures can’t stand up to the power of nature.”

(MORE: Gorgeous Abandoned Places Reclaimed by Nature)

“I’m fascinated by plants overgrowing rooms and ivy finding its way through the tiniest cracks in walls and eventually breaking the stone,” he said. “I really like the mixture of activity and creativity of urban exploration.”

Baumann has observed that ivy is the first plant to take over in these abandoned spaces. “In regions where it is cooler or with high humidity, fern and moss are the first to show up, followed by mushrooms,” he said. The combination creates a location seemingly ready for the filming of sci-fi movie.

“I want to show what happens when mankind abandons a place to its fate as well as holding up a mirror to society and documenting the beauty that becomes unoccupied while thousands of new buildings are built every day,” he said.