One moment you are standing at the bottom of wrought-iron ‘tulip stairs’ in a former royal residence in London – and the next, you are among the ruins of the Great Wall of China – or the ‘Pagan’ temples of Myanmar.
These are just some of the astonishing pictures that will transport you to some of the most beautiful places in the world.
They form part of the first-ever Historic Photographer of the Year awards, which showcase the very best historic places and cultural sites from across the globe – capturing everything from the most famous national treasures to the obscure and forgotten hidden gems.
In its first year the competition has attracted a swathe of astonishing entries from amateurs and professionals who have climbed, hiked and trekked their way to snap stunning sites.
OVERALL WINNER: Nocton Hall Military Hospital, in Lincolnshire (by Matt Emmett). This 400m-long corridor forms part of an old hospital last used by US military stationed in the UK during the first Gulf War (Operation Desert Storm). The site was loaned to American forces in 1984 to treat injured soldiers flown back from Iraq. However the war was a success and only 35 patients were treated there. The site was handed back to the UK in 1995 and remains to this day in a derelict state
Bagan Archaeological Zone (by Ana Caroline de Lima). Bagan was the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan from the 9th to the 13th centuries. This kingdom was the first to unify the area that is now Myanmar, establishing the Burmese culture and ethnicity, as well as Theravada Buddhism, in the region. Over this period of rule, as the city and kingdom grew in influence and stature, over 10,000 temples were built on the plains surrounding the capital next to the Irrawaddy River
Train Cemetery, Bolivia (by Pamela Jones). Just outside Uyuni, trains were abandoned decades ago and left to rot at 11,995ft. Built by the British, the railway transported minerals to the Pacific Coast until the mining industry collapsed in the 1940s
WW2 Air Raid Shelter (by Daniel Sands). Given access to a secret restored bunker with the help of a local electrical fitter, we installed lighting and haze in order to achieve this final image. Slight tweaks to contrast and conversion to mono for final presentation
Wat Mahathat, Ayutthaya, Thailand (by Mathew Browne). This is a 14th century temple reduced to ruins in 1767 when the Burmese army invaded. Over time, a tree has grown around one of the remaining stone Buddha heads, such that it is now completely enclosed by its roots with only the face peeking out
Tintagel Castle (by Marge Losasso). After a long climb up to the ruins, I was rewarded by an amazing view and also the bronze statue of Gallos, the Cornish word for ‘power’ and said to be inspired by the legend of King Arthur and the castle’s royal history
Caerphilly Castle (by Mathew Browne). Caerphilly Castle was built in the second half of the 13th century, as part of the Anglo-Norman expansion into South Wales. This photo shows the castle lit red in recognition of the Welsh football team’s progression at Euro 2016
Queen’s House, London (left, by Mathew Browne). This is a former royal residence built between 1616 and 1635 in Greenwich. This photo depicts the wrought iron ‘Tulip Stairs’. Right, Tewkesbury Abbey (by Matthew Lewis). The morning sunlight shines through the abbey’s high windows and casts rays of light into the space. I like this view because it hasn’t change much in hundreds of years
Cell 1, National Gas Turbine Establishment (by Matt Emmett). The National Gas Turbine Establishment in Hampshire was born out of necessity to help counter the Russian threat at the start of the Cold War. The site, before its demolition in 2013, retained a palpable sense of place in the history of the UK, it pushed forward engineering know-how at an incredible pace and led to many of the jet engine technologies we take for granted today. This image shows Cell 1, the earliest of the testing cells on site. Compressed air was generated in a large on-site turbine hall and could be directed to any of the five cells on site at varying mach speeds
Surp Giragos Church in Diyarbakir, Turkey (by Mehmet Masum Suer). It was seen as one of the largest and most important Armenian churches in the Middle East. The church was built in 1376
Cook Bank Building, in Nevada (by Mike Butler). This image is of the Cook Bank building, which was part of the gold boom town Rhyolite, built in the early 1900s. I photographed this building with hot lights starting at 3am and shooting until dawn at which point I captured just a bit of blue in the night sky
The overall winning image was shot by Matt Emmett from Reading and taken at RAF Nocton Hall, an abandoned former military hospital. He takes home the £2,500 prize.
The winning public vote photograph was a shot of Jedburgh Abbey taken on a school trip, and was won by Manchester’s Jenna Johnston, who walks away with £250.
One of the judges, historian and TV presenter Dan Snow, said: ‘Historical photography is about seeking out a great subject, getting up ridiculously early, climbing high and waiting. Real history doesn’t always have to be a museum or gallery.
‘It can be a proper adventure out to the middle of nowhere, where you stumble across decaying remnants of the past. The best history photography often captures sites which may be entirely lost to our grandchildren.’
Venice (by Mike Morton). View along one of the many Venetian canals
Penarth Pier (by Mathew Browne). Penarth Pier was first opened in 1898 in South Wales
PUBLIC VOTE WINNER: Jedburgh Abbey (by Jenna Johnston). This photo of the 12th century Augustinian abbey, Jedburgh, was taken on a class trip in 2011. That class, and that trip, sparked my enduring love for medieval architecture
Great Wall of China (by Kaiyu Lu). A quiet winter morning after Chinese New Year, I was strolling on the ruins of the Great Wall, built in 1680. I seemed to hear crossing swords and horses neighing
Carew Castle (left, by Paul Templing). Situated overlooking a tidal mill pond in Pembrokeshire, it’s hard to imagine a more scenic setting for this grand stricture. On the evening this was taken, a huge electrical storm was raging over Cornwall, illuminating the band of cloud along the horizon. Before long, the clouds rolled closer, putting an end to this brief but spectacular glimpse of the Milky Way behind the castle. Right, Houses of Parliament and Big Ben (by Sue Harding). I was looking for a different view point for a photograph of these historic buildings. This was taken from a small entrance next to Westminster Bridge, also a beautiful work of art in itself
Rochester Cathedral (by Paul Parkinson). Sometimes the weather conditions, the way the sun shines and the angle of light combine to produce something magical. I loved the way the beams of light shone through the windows and, in places, the dust motes reflected back
Entries have been judged on originality, composition and technical proficiency alongside the story behind the image and its historical impact.
The Historic Photographer of the Year Awards is a joint venture between two cultural brands, Trip Historic, the leading online travel guide to the world’s historic sites, and History Hit which brings unique content and insight from some of the UK’s best known historians and academics.
Official partners include television channel, History, and The Royal Photographic Society, the UK’s oldest and largest photography membership organisation.
For more information, go to https://photographer.triphistoric.com/gallery/
Cutty Sark (by Mathew Browne). Cutty Sark is a British clipper ship built in 1869
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin (by Peter Hagger). Taken on a spring evening
El Djem, Tunisia (by Mark Gillespie). Perfect day, and no tourists, great light inside the arches of El Djem