By Timmy Odejimi
HAUNTING images offer a glimpse into the desolate and forbidden churches across Europe left to crumble as Christianity declines on the continent.
Other eerie photographs from these secret and supposedly secured sites show cracked murals and ceilings, walls covered in cobwebs, caved-in roofs, caskets covered in debris and floors filled with rubble.
Seventy-two percent of the EU population is currently Christian, however research from Pew Research centre show that Europe will see the number of Christians fall by almost fifty million in the coming years, leading more churches to become abandoned.
Urban explorer, Romanelli Alessandro (45), captured the images on a tour of Italy, France, Germany, Poland and Czech Republic on a Nikon D750 with a F2.8 Nikkor 14/24 lens.
“I faced many problems during my explorations. From falling to facing the police, security guards, and dogs,” Romanelli said.
“These buildings are closed to the public for being unsafe and to prevent vandalism or other types of intrusion.
“What you see in these pictures is the absence of man. The one who creates and then forgets.
“People always build new things forgetting to preserve the beautiful and forgotten architectural wonders like churches.
“I like the excitement of discovering and entering places where it has been neglected for a long time.”
Despite the churches being deserted, urban explorer Romanelli faced the dangers from the police, dogs, and security guards as all the churches are closed to the public.
The decaying church buildings show the lack of care and protection given to a place of religion.
“Most times people appreciate these pictures and do not understand the actual abandonment of the churches,” Romanelli said.
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