5 Forgotten Cities That Were Swallowed by Nature

Across the globe, cities rise and fall. Some vanish beneath waves or are buried in sand, but others are slowly overtaken by vines, roots, and rust.

These places weren't destroyed overnight. They were abandoned, neglected, and gradually reclaimed by the ecosystems around them.

Here are five forgotten cities where nature took over.

Once a diamond boomtown, Kolmanskop flourished in the early 1900s when German miners struck riches in the Namib Desert.

At its peak, the town boasted a hospital, ballroom, bowling alley, and the first X-ray station in the southern hemisphere.

But when the diamond rush moved elsewhere, the residents left. By the 1950s, the desert began its return.

Today, sand dunes pour through broken windows and drift down hallways, burying the grand homes.