Thursday, September 13, 2018

Kolmanskop (Namibia)

The history of Kolmanskop is intriguing.
In 1908, diamonds were discovered in several places in the desert of Namibia.
One of the towns that arose to provide shelter and entertainment for the incoming miners was Kolmanskop.

This town lies in the middle of the desert and was built according to the German model.
At its peak there was a hospital, a dancing, a power station, a school, a bowling alley, a theater and a railway.

Ten years later, at the end of the First World War, the diamond price fell dramatically, marking the beginning of the end for Kolmanskop.
In 1936 larger quantities and more valuable diamonds were found close to the coast.

The result: the miners relocate to the newly founded city of Oranjemund.
By 1950 Kolmanskop was completely deserted and fell prey to the desert sand.
Slowly, but steadily the buildings are filled with desert sand.

5 pictures of Kolmanskop.







more

No comments:

Post a Comment