Manmade Places That Nature Has Taken Over
Humans love to believe that we are the conquerors of the Earth, that we can overcome anything the environment throws at us, but nature has a knack for reminding us that it can always make a comeback. Whether through erosion, plant regrowth, or other natural phenomena, nature has a way of reclaiming the land as its own.
These are some stunning examples of nature taking over manmade places and objects.
I Guess This Calls For A Detour
![hawaii solidified lava that had spilled over a road](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.38.32-PM-40969.jpg?b=0&c=0&width=800&height=533&top=158&left=0&zoom=1.16959064327)
Hawaii is well-known for its volcanic geographic features, and this road blockage is the result of lava spilling out onto the road, covering it, and then cooling on it during a seismic event.
The Ocean Will Always Win Against The Ship
![ship sunken ship with a mangrove tree growing from it](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.05.55-PM-50857.jpg?b=0&c=0&width=800&height=533&top=102&left=0&zoom=1.01781170483)
This ship sank in the Angas Inlet off the coast of Australia near Adelaide and has since become home to some mangroves—a species of tree that survives in saltwater and can attach and detach from locations.
The Whole Village Up And Left
![fishing village village with all the structures overgrown with greenery](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.41.30-PM-85157.jpg?width=800&height=533)
This is a photo of a village in the Shengsi Islands of China, which used to be a bustling area. However, like in most villages that are tied to one volatile industry, all the residents moved to where there were more fish for the taking.
The Titanic When It First Sailed Vs. Now
![titanic the titanic as it was vs how it looks now in the ocean](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.28.41-PM-43439.jpg?width=800&height=951)
In 1912, the Titanic was considered the peak of human achievement as the greatest ship ever made. We all know how that turned out, but the ship has since been taken over by sea life.
A Temple That Has Been Conquered By A Tree
![bangladesh a tree that has its roots fully encompassing a building](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.20.01-PM-52115.jpeg?width=800&height=1188)
This is an old temple to Shiva located in the forests of Bangladesh, which has since been entirely overgrown by a bodhi tree, which is a ficus tree that Lord Buddha supposedly sat under to achieve enlightenment.
An Abandoned Castle In France
![ceiling romantic era building with ivy hanging through hole in ceiling](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-2.53.55-PM-28314.jpg?width=800&height=895)
This beautiful building that is built and decorated in the ornate romantic style used to be a posh castle in the French countryside, although it has since been left for the ivy.
These Are The Remnants Of WWI Trenches
![trenches uneven ground across grass plain](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.54.03-PM-84191.jpg?width=800&height=533)
World War I used trench warfare for battles, leaving long, deep scars across the plains used as battlefields. However, this is all that remains of the trenches in Beaumont-Hamel in northern France.
Nature Defined Political History In This Case
![streets Narrow street between buildings is overgrown with greenery](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-2.53.18-PM-22618.jpg?b=0&c=0&width=800&height=533&top=113&left=0&zoom=0.917431192661)
This is the Green Line demarcation zone that separated the Muslim and Christian citizens in Beirut, which developed during the Lebanese Civil War from 1975–1990. It was named after the foliage that grew through the city.
A Relic From The Mining Days In Millcreek Canyon, Utah
![utah abandoned industrial building nestled into the mountain](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-3.07.56-PM-45359.jpg?width=800&height=437)
In the early 1900s, mining became one of the dominant industries across Utah's mountainous geography. This building likely housed kilns used to process minerals that had been recovered in nearby mines.
From Boat To Island
![island Boat covered in foliage like an island](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-5.29.19-PM-57401.jpg?width=800&height=533)
This ship, named the SS Edith Cavell, was originally launched in 1898 but now resides in the Maroni River near St Laurent du Maron in French Guiana, a region on the northern coast of South America.
Trees In Silos Are Actually Pretty Common
![tree in silo tree growing up and out in silo](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-3.55.39-PM-44437.jpg?width=800&height=904)
As technology advanced and people moved to urban areas, a lot of farming infrastructure was left behind in rural areas across many parts of the world. Some of which was reclaimed by nature, including many locations across the American Midwest.
A Railway Turned Into A Garden
![train train tracks covered in wildflowers](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-5.35.07-PM-99438.jpg?width=800&height=533)
Back in the day, trains were the best mode of transportation when trying to cover ground, and train tracks were frequented by many travelers. With the rise of planes and cars, old railways have been left to the whims of nature.
This House Belongs To The Tree Now
![belarus three growing from inside of a house and out the door](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-3.02.06-PM-59117.jpg?width=800&height=533)
Krasnoe used to be a fairly populous village in Belarus, but the whole area had to be evacuated following the explosion at Chernobyl, and wildlife has been reclaiming the area ever since.
School's Out!
![bus bus in forest](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.53.57-PM-40477.jpg?width=800&height=533)
This bus was found almost entirely surrounded by greenery in the middle of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, though it's not clear how it got there or when it was left.
No More Cruising For This Ship
![cruise cruise ship on side near island](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-5.38.29-PM-61391.jpg?width=800&height=833)
This is a photo of the MS World Discoverer, a German cruise ship that hit a patch of uncharted reef in the Sandfly passage near the Solomon Islands in April 2000 and was left behind.
Would This Be Considered A Treehouse Or A House-Tree?
![tree house house with a large tree growing through the roof](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/mfdaul84dqp41-80060.jpg?b=0&c=0&width=800&height=989&top=0&left=0&zoom=0.740823970037)
This house is located deep within the Black Forest in Germany. In general, trees are extremely resilient and determined plants that can grow through or around just about any material.
A Photo Of Bali You Probably Haven't Seen
![bali staircase and ornate dragon decor covered in foliage](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-5.44.55-PM-85126.jpg?width=800&height=533)
While Bali is currently one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, it also had a lot of appeal in the past. These are the remains of an abandoned resort on the island.
Elmo's Looking A Little Green, But Not With Envy
![Elmo Elmo Doll Covered in moss](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-4.34.32-PM-66696.jpg?width=800&height=869)
This Elmo doll was found by a hiker who was taking a route through the forests in Georgia. Likely left there by a child sometime in the last few decades, a bunch of moss now calls him home.
Lately, Some Designers Have Sought To Incorporate Nature From The Start
![foshan building with greenery on every level](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/6amxpt5l50941-74638.jpg?width=800&height=989)
In an attempt to help counteract climate change and diminish the effects of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, buildings that made it easy for lush, green plants to grow all over them were put up in Foshan, China.
...And When We're Still Enough, Nature Will Always Come Back Around
![mountain lions mountain lions crossing residential lawn in suburb](https://www.exploredplanet.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Screen-Shot-2020-04-01-at-3.49.08-PM-42245.jpeg?width=800&height=533)
With the recent lockdowns due to health concerns in Colorado, mountain lions have been seen making their way through the streets of Boulder in a way that hasn't happened in years.