An urban explorer who goes by the handle Arkland – Urbex, posted a series of pictures showing the slot machines and other casino games from the past he discovered while exploring an old aircraft hanger near Liege, Belgium, Newsweek reported.
According to Newsweek, Belgium has become a popular destination for urban explorers as it is home to around 300 abandoned buildings.
The explorer, who asked to go by Arkhoss, told Newsweek that he has known of the hanger for some time. The hanger was located in the middle of a commercial park near Liege. Arkhoss and his fellow explorers first went through three or four hangers before they reached the right one.
With only their flashlights to provide illumination, the explorers found the slot machines lined up in rows along with other paraphernalia, including red stools, arcade games, roulette and blackjack tables, and “a strange little character” who resembled the man from the Monopoly board game.
Arkhoss told Newsweek that the discarded machines likely came from the various casinos that used to operate around Liege.
The pictures Arkhoss posted on social media show the slot machines, roulette wheels, arcade shooting games, and driving simulators. According to Newsweek, the pictures have become very popular among Reddit users.
While some Reddit users compared the images to scenes from a horror movie, Arkhoss told Newsweek that he didn’t find the hanger scary. Instead, it was “nostalgic.” He said being in the hangar felt both like being in a film “but also in a kind of strange place.”
However, if any other urban explorers hope to take a look at the “nostalgic” peek into the past, they are out of luck.
The hanger has since been cleared out and demolished, according to Arkhoss. The slot machines and other items have either been sold or deconstructed.
