Ruins of a big house in northern side in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Ghariyah on north-eastern coast, Ash Shamal area. Qatar, December 19, 2015
Ruined house in a village of Al Jumail (Jumayl) used for film set, west of Ruwais on northwest coast. Qatar, February 6, 2010
Ruins near Hilal bin Abdullah Al Kuwari House in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Ghariyah on north-eastern coast, Ash Shamal area. Qatar, June 13, 2015
Ruines of ancient houses on Purple Island (Jazirat Bin Ghanim). Al Khor, Qatar, August 1, 2015
Ruins of a big house in northern side in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Ghariyah on north-eastern coast, Ash Shamal area. Qatar, June 13, 2015
Stone house in ruined village of Al Jumail (Jumayl) used for film set, west of Ruwais on northwest coast. Qatar, February 6, 2010
Ruins of a stone house at Sidriyat Al Kheesa, north from Madinat Al Kaaban. Northern Qatar, December 19, 2014
Ruins of a stone house in Al Jumayliyah (Jamilla, Aljumileh). Western Qatar, February 13, 2015
Ruins of Nokhitha - Ajlan bin Mohammed bin Khalfan bin Mubarak Al Kuwari - Rahmatullah House in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Ghariyah on north-eastern coast, Ash Shamal area. Qatar, June 13, 2015
Ruins of a house on a beach near the Knubble. Acoaxet, Massachusetts, January 19, 2004
Ruins of a house on Sytninskaya Street in Petrogradskaya Storona neighborhood. Saint Petersburg, Russia, August 9, 2012
Ruins of houses of Nasser bin Mohamed bin Mohammed Almkaona in Ain Mohamed Fort near Al Areesh Road north from Zubara. Northern Qatar, March 6, 2015
Ruins of a summer house in Lisiy Nos, a suburb of Saint Petersburg. Russia, June 9, 2011
Ruined houses in a village of Al Areesh (Arish). Northern Qatar, May 9, 2015
Stone house in ruined village of Al Jumail (Jumayl) used for film set, west of Ruwais on northwest coast. Qatar, March 3, 2010
Ruins of manor house of Razoumovsky in Gostilitsy village. Leningrad Region, Russia, July 17, 2005
Ruins of a manor house in Gostilitsy, Leningrad Region. Russia, February 9, 2013
Ruins of a Victorian house with towers at 1508 Saint Charles Avenue, a corner of Melpomene Street in Lower Garden District (Bernard Switzer - Oppenheim - L. Pelloat house). New Orleans, Louisiana, July 10, 2006
Ruins of a house at 2337 Tennessee Street in Lower Ninth Ward. New Orleans, Louisiana, January 28, 2006
Ruins of a stone house on northern side in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Ghariyah on north-eastern coast, Ash Shamal area. Qatar, July 3, 2015
Ruins of a house in old fishing village (ghost town) of Al Khuwair west from Lekhwair on northern coast. Qatar, May 21, 2016
Ruins of Victor Goving House (1903 - 1904) at 11 Krepostnaya Street. Vyborg, Russia, August 12, 2012
Ruins of a stone house in a village of Al Jumail (Jumayl) west of Ruwais. Northern Qatar, June 26, 2015
Ruins of a house at the beginning of Stony Trail (Kamenistaya Tropa) near Kubenskoe in Kivi Park south from Chulkovo, west from Vyborg. Russia, July 27, 2024
This view from the St. Nicholas Church tower looks south-east, contrasting the medieval Old Town with the modern business district in the background. The large, L-shaped building with the dark gray roof in the center-right is the Writers House (Kirjanike Maja) on Harju Street. Completed in 1963, this Soviet-era modernist building stands out among the older red-roofed structures. It was built on the ruins of buildings destroyed in the 1944 March bombing and remains a cultural hub, housing the Estonian Writers Union and a famous bookstore. In the distance, the sleek glass high-rises of Tallinn s modern city center dominate the horizon. Key skyscrapers include the Swisso^tel Tallinn and the twin towers of the Tornima"e complex, symbolizing the city s rapid economic development since regaining independence. The open area visible to the right, just beyond the dense red roofs, is Freedom Square (Vabaduse va"ljak). Although partially obscured, this major public plaza marks the southern edge of the Old Town and is home to the Victory Column of the War of Independence. Estonia, October 16, 2025
This view from the tower of St. Nicholas Church offers a fascinating contrast between medieval history, post-war reconstruction, and modern urban growth, looking east towards the city center. The most prominent building in the immediate foreground is the large, grey, L-shaped structure known as the Writers House (Kirjanike Maja) on Harju Street. Built in 1963 on the ruins of buildings destroyed during the 1944 Soviet bombing of Tallinn, this modernist structure is a significant cultural landmark. It houses the Estonian Writers Union, a well-known bookstore, and the famous Cafe Pegasus, serving as a hub for the country s literary scene. The street running along the left side of the Writers House is Harju Street, historically one of the city s main commercial arteries. The open green space visible nearby (part of the Harju Street green area) was also created following the wartime destruction, serving as a memorial and recreational space before partial reconstruction debates in recent years. In the background, the view opens up to Tallinn s modern business district. The cluster of high-rise glass buildings, including the distinct wedge-shaped Swisso^tel and the SEB Bank headquarters, illustrates the city s rapid economic development and stands in stark contrast to the red-tiled roofs of the Old Town below. Estonia, October 16, 2025
This perspective on Harju Street captures a striking mix of Soviet-era modernism and medieval heritage in the heart of Tallinn s Old Town. The prominent grey building on the right is the Writers House (Kirjanike Maja), located at Harju 1. Designed by architects August Volberg and Heili Volberg and completed in 1963, it is a prime example of post-war modernist architecture in Estonia. The foreground reveals traces of the area s turbulent history. The open green space on the left (Harju Street Park) occupies the site of buildings destroyed during the March 1944 Soviet bombing. For decades, these ruins were a painful scar, but the area has since been redeveloped into a recreational space that memorializes the lost urban fabric while providing a breathing room in the dense Old Town. The blue truck cabin visible in the foreground of the Harju Street photo is a GAZ-51, a legendary Soviet-era truck that was a common sight in Estonia for decades. Estonia, October 16, 2025
This close-up view of the GAZ-51 truck highlights its surreal juxtaposition against the classic architecture of Tallinn s Old Town. The blue cabin is heavily weathered, with rust eating through the paint and missing headlights, emphasizing its status as a ruin or relic. The large green industrial mechanism mounted on the back--resembling a boom or auger--dominates the frame, extending horizontally like a cannon barrel. Distinct graffiti tags (like "WEK") on the door add a layer of contemporary urban decay, contrasting with the historic setting. Directly behind the truck, across the street, is a building housing a Bu"roomaailm (Office World) store. The truck sits on a grassy slope, part of the Harju Street Green Area, which covers the ruins of buildings destroyed in 1944. The contrast between the lush green grass, the rusting Soviet metal, and the maintained city street captures the eclectic spirit of this specific corner of Tallinn. Estonia, October 16, 2025
