Urban explorer Kyle Urbex discovered the remains of the rusted out watchtowers which featured in the 1993 film Schindler’s List near Krakow, in Poland and date back to 1873

Iconic watchtowers which featured in a Hollywood film and was at the centre of the real life location where 8,000 people were murdered by Nazis has been visited by an urban explorer.

Located in the southern area of Krakow, Poland, the tower dates back to 1873 when its owner, Bernard Liban, opened the site to be used as a lime kiln. By 1942 the site was commandeered by the Nazis and held around 20,000 inmates, including hundreds of Roma and Polish prisoners from the Warsaw Uprising called Plaszow where around 8,000 people were murdered, before it was liberated in January 1945.

The site was at the centre of Steven Spielberg’s wartime film Schindler’s List, although the filmmakers did not film on the original labour camp out of respect for those who died. Instead, the crew erected sets styled as watchtowers at this quarry.

Images by urban explorer Kyle Urbex show the remains of the rusted out watchtowers scaling high above the tree line covered in graffiti close to Krakow Poland. The future of the site remains unclear.

Kyle said: “After a nice walk through the woodland I finally arrived at the decaying quarry. I did plan to climb the towers, however as they hang over a pretty hefty drop I didn’t fancy the risk.

“I did however find some old framed buildings to climb up below which really did give me proper views in front of the stand out towers. The quarry dates back to 1873. It was opened by Mr Bernard Liban and back then the site was to be used as a lime kiln.

“However by 1942 when the Nazis were occupying Poland, the old quarry soon became a labour camp known as Plaszow. The camp was evacuated in January 1945, before the Red Army’s liberation of the area on 20th January.

“Its one huge claim to fame is the featuring of the locale in the popular 1993 film Schindler’s List. It was quite boggy below and even got my foot wet for my outside shot.

“To get these shots of a place with such a harrowing yet juxtaposing Hollywood history was worth it I’d say.”

The film crew built a mammoth 34 barracks and added watchtowers around the quarry. Although much of the set was removed, traces of the set can still be found.

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