Aurélien Villette's 'Spirit of Place' Highlights the Beauty of Abandoned Architecture

Ruins are a natural part of human history, and accordingly, we are generally compelled to viewing them. There’s something ironically charming about the preservation of ruination – if only in a picture – and Aurélien Villette has the eye for such things. In her latest series, Spirit of Place, the French photographer investigates the heartbreaking former glory embedded in old churches, opera halls, theaters and other spaces. As such, the photographs not only give an imagination-ticking look into the past, but perhaps set a somber tone for the future. Check out some photos from the set above, and pick up Villette’s Spirit of Place book over on Teneues now.