Steeped in centuries of old diamond history, a seaside city in Africa has been left abandoned and frozen in time for over 70 years.
Lying in the heart of Sperrgebiet (forbidden territory), in the Namdeb diamond mining area of Namibia, sits the town of Bogenfels.
You will notice in Bogenfels that there is a German influence on the town’s name as Namibia used to be a German colony. Bogenfels means arch rock in German.
The small, beautiful, forgotten village was evacuated in 1950 and has remained frozen in time since.
In 1908 diamonds were discovered by August Stauch, promoting a diamond rush to the area. As a result, flourishing towns were built in the middle of the desert.
However, when the diamond deposits ran dry Bogenfels fell into major decline, and the area was once again abandoned.
It is strictly prohibited to take a walk on the beach south of the Bogenfels, as there could still be rough diamonds lying around, the possession of which is strictly prohibited by the Namibian law.
Desert sands have now built up and attempted to reclaim the land.
Today visitors can expect to find abandoned mining equipment, forgotten buildings and tales of the lives of the locals who ventured to this remote area to live in small mining towns along Namibia’s Diamond Coast.
Bogenfels is also renowned for its natural rock formations. Located in the middle of the Restricted Diamond Area sits the Bogenfels rock arch.
The massive rock arch which straddles the coastline and sea is comparable to a 20-storey building at an impressive height of 55 metres.
Those thinking of visiting the eerie city can emback on the Bogenfels and Diamonds Tour, which takes you through the ghost town, leads you into Sperrgebiet – where mining activities are still taking place and through breath-taking desert landscapes.
The fascinating full day tour runs from 8am until 5pm and include snacks, sparkling wine, light drinks, cooldrinks, bottled water and permits.
