What happened at this once elegant mansion with its rooms full of furniture and beloved old toys as if the family fled at a moment’s notice and never returned? Mr. Button Eyes was at least 100 years old and is still hauntingly beautiful. Andre Govia was kind enough to also give an interview and tips to urban explorers. He said, “My main occupation is Film and cameraman for a TV Company; I also undertake Film edit work for US and UK networks. I am a explorer by heart and was urbexing for 6 years before I even had the idea of getting a camera to document the abandoned buildings. I was given a camera as a gift (canon20d) and it all started from there.” Photo #1 by © Andre Govia

Ghost house, a real creepy room in the abandoned manor house, Andre explained. “As fun as the explore is, most well-seasoned people who take part in this dangerous past time learn a few rules along the way. Start taking photos and looking out for any key areas of the explore that need to be covered.” Just in case you are wondering, urban exploration is considered an extreme sport. Photo #2 by © Andre Govia

“I was once a poet,” reads the caption. Andre advised, “If you waste time, you may get taken out before you have the chance to get a shot; it’s a common story that new explorers think it’s all happy land out there and walk about with heads in the clouds setting off alarms and falling down holes. That’s not to say that I never have been down holes and broken floors, but not for the want of trying not to.” Photo #3 by © Andre Govia

You’re not afraid of the dark are you? Creepy carriage. Andre doesn’t say where these spooky manor houses are located and explains another urbexing rule. “Another rule of the game that is very important is never to name locations with the real names until it is gone, primarily to stop everyone going down and spreading the word, selfish yes but also very necessary. After all, we are trespassing with what we see as good intent. But in the eyes of the law, we are walking the line between creativity and vandalism. Real explorers will never damage any building they visit, but local kids will see an old building as just a place to smash up.” Photo #4 by © Andre Govia

This abandoned mansion had a draw bridge and beautiful painted walls in most of the rooms. Photo #5 by © Andre Govia

It’s not every day you see one in white! As seen on European madness tour with Niki Feijen, Rusty, Daanoe, ill-padrino, Photoportee, Silvercube, Shexbeer and Martin Widlund. A great time for sure with a first class crew from around Europe, Uk and Norway. Photo #6 by © Andre Govia

The Organist at an abandoned manor house, a step back in time. Photo #7 by © Andre Govia

The black figure… Andre explained, “So here we are in an old abandoned crypt full of mostly empty coffins; it looked a little like a storage, but due to where it was who knows? All lit up with torch light and climbing in a small gap behind us. Anyway we all check our photos and we can all see what looks like a figure of a man dressed in black with a hat on ahead up about behind the wall where the yellow glow is. Real creepy place in many ways, I have uploaded the large file size so you can view on large and see the figure. THIS FIGURE HAS NOT BEEN ADDED. Photo #8 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned crematorium radiOactivity. Photo #9 by © Andre Govia

I will watch you from the shadows: abandoned sanatorium w. Photo #10 by © Andre Govia

On European madness tour: This large abandoned church had some very nice chairs left inside and even a coffin for a baby. Photo #11 by © Andre Govia

yOur SoUL iS miNe: Abandoned asylum T. Photo #12 by © Andre Govia

Iconic shine. “Keep your cool Andre, this is not real, just another trick from this old building…stay focused on the explore.” Photo #13 by © Andre Govia

Winding staircase at abandoned monastery. “This vast complex of buildings had much to offer, it was once a hotel also.” Photo #14 by © Andre Govia

Built in 1897, this Grand sea front theater closed its doors in 1977. This is looking across the middle tier and the upper seats; some nice decay creeping around this vast building. A real step back in time. Photo #15 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned Masonic School: Lots of good history in this building. There was even a stopped clock that gives the right time twice a day. Photo #16 by © Andre Govia

The Towers abandoned hotel: “5 Star Hotel with pool and everything you will every need to enjoy your stay. Lost in time,” Andre said before relaying this adrenaline junkie tale from his experience here. “In this beautiful large hotel in the woods, we could not comprehend what was outside: A guard in camo gear with a machine gun!!!!! As we looked out from behind the curtain, he stood looking to where we were. The crew packed up and headed out from the rear in a swift run!!” Photo #17 by © Andre Govia

The haunted hotel. This is the ballroom. It has a real sense of elegance in a creepy way. Photo #18 by © Andre Govia

Social engineering at abandoned Chambre du Commerce: We had some fun getting out in the middle of the city center, so we had to pose as guards and put on an orange vest to fool the people looking for us outside :). Photo #19 by © Andre Govia

Spooky abandoned children’s prison. “Have I ever seen a ghost you asked!” Andre said to Love These Pics, “Well I have seen dark shadows in my camera monitor moving in and out of doorways in an abandoned asylum once. Another time in a big abandoned hotel, we all had a very uneasy feel about the place. We were originally going to spend the night there but decided to check into a motel.” Photo #20 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned children’s tuberculosis sanatorium. Photo #21 by © Andre Govia

Demon child, run for it! Abandoned and decaying asylum for the criminally insane. Photo #22 by © Andre Govia

The stuff of Nightmares. Top: Inside the padded cell at a derelict, decaying sanitarium. Left: Dead calm. Nightmare at the abandoned manor. Right: Abandoned girl’s school; Leave my school NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Photo #23 by © Andre Govia & #24 by © Andre Govia & #25 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned glass factory, part of the European Trespassers Tour 2012. Photo #26 by © Andre Govia

Cell 3 at an abandoned industrial location. The only way in here is to slide down a rusty chain about 20 foot. Shot in almost total darkness down there. Photo #27 by © Andre Govia

Cable car top, alpine view abandoned sanatorium. Andre said, “I have been asked many times by fellow explorers if I will ever stop, but I can’t ever see this. As long as I find abandoned buildings I will always want to explore and take photos inside them. After all, we are keeping photographic records of history. It’s our own risk or could it be an addiction? That would all depend how you look at it.” Photo #28 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned amusement park. This place was dead calm and eerie this day. Cold November rain. Photo #29 by © Andre Govia

“Confront your fears.” Or run? Curse you, Steven King and It. Photo #30 by © Andre Govia

So here it is, the video from an abandoned amusement park. 🙂 Enjoy! Video #1 by Film made by © Andre govia, Lucas Photoportee, Norbert Lov

Roller coaster tracks at abandoned theme park. Urbexing, Andre said, “is not an age thing; it’s more of a passion that urban explorers share sometimes in a group of photographers. I look around and think to myself on a normal day that these people would not even make eye contact, but today we are a crew and are helping each other over fences and through windows. That always makes me laugh.” Photo #31 by © Andre Govia

ClaSsic: abandoned hospital P. On a Mission with rustysphotography, Haribohoe, Martin Widlund, AndreasS! on the “1000 miles and running tour.” Photo #32 by © Andre Govia

The mason’s house, part of the European Trespassers Tour 2012 with rustysphotography’s, Oldskool, Niki Feijen, daanoe.nl, Marin Widlund, Anreas S and silent witnesses. Great times and crew and great friends. Photo #33 by © Andre Govia

An abandoned manor house last occupied in the mid 1970’s, still in great shape, complete with furniture and belongings. A strong smell of damp around the property and decay on the upper floor ceilings. A step back in time. By far one of the best examples of any manor house I have seen, creepy children’s toys and stuffed animals made for a real treat. It was almost like walking into a time warp walking over the dusty carpets, vintage furniture and very still air had a musty damp smell to it. Photo #34 by © Andre Govia

One of the creepy dolls and other creepy toys in the old manor house. Photo #35 by © Andre Govia & #36 by © Andre Govia

Library ghosts: The Manor library was very dusty and the smell of decay and paper was really still and creepy. Photo #37 by © Andre Govia

Abandoned manor house, the most classic window of them all I would say. Photo #38 by © Andre Govia

The master bedroom. All still in place as if they left never to return; creepy in a way. The gingerbread house: A most strange house with lots left inside! The painted walls around the house were both strange and sad; someone had loved this place once! Photo #39 by © Andre Govia

This abandoned grand ballroom was one of the best I have seen. It had very large mirrors at each end. Real heavy decay creeping in from all over. This vast complex of buildings had much to offer. It was once a hotel also. Photo #40 by © Andre Govia

The chapel of rays inside an abandoned mansion. REAL light rays not Photoshop! We just put some dust in the air to show them better. This house even had its own chapel inside, how cool is that? 🙂 It felt like a real honor to be there. Here we arrive at the abandoned Masion’s house, total gold mine for us to find all as it was left. It was like they left and never came home. One of the best house explores I have ever seen. 🙂 Photo #41 by © Andre Govia

Baby’s coffin left at the Black Church as seen during European madness tour. Photo #42 by © Andre Govia

Psychiatric hospital and yes that is a coffin. Another great explore with the goonies crew. This building was covered with poison ivy, the floors were like paper and it has been abandoned for a long time. Photo #43 by © Andre Govia

Integration, the last of the patients were being prepared for life outside the asylum as the demolition took hold. Photo #44 by © Andre Govia

Segregation ward at abandoned sanatorium W. Photo #45 by © Andre Govia

Labyrinth in abandoned sanatorium. Andre said, “I have covered over 22 countries on urban exploring, from Uk to US over to Norway and Europe.” Photo #46 by © Andre Govia

30 DayS Of NigHt. Of his adrenline junkie urbexing photographer friends, Andre said, “I have met with the nicest people you could ever imagine and have made great friends around the world.” Photo #47 by © Andre Govia