Urban exploration , abbreviated urbex exploration (from the English urban exploration), is a hobby that consists of visiting built and abandoned urban areas ; the urban explorer is commonly called an urbexer.
This activity involves visiting hidden or hard-to-reach places , such as mansions , schools, abandoned warehouses, hospitals, or sanatoriums , etc. In the most extreme cases, the practice involves visiting explicitly forbidden places, such as subway tunnels, catacombs, and rooftops (of buildings, monuments, etc.). As such, it combines various so-called "underground" activities, including cataphilia and rooftop climbing, and is closely associated with sports like rock climbing or parkour . The practice has spread rapidly with the emergence of social media and video platforms, particularly YouTube.
Today, the practice of urbex is modified in some places to become "ruin tourism" , this type of tourism is facilitated by tour operators who take charge of visiting abandoned places.Urban exploration encompasses various methods, each with its own motivations. A taste for adventure is an integral part of it. Some will focus on the historical context , exploring old and abandoned structures. Many urban explorers are interested in cultural heritage and believe that urban exploration, when conducted under certain conditions, can help preserve and remember the history of these sites . Sometimes, urban expeditions lead to the restoration or rediscovery of neglected archival collections.
