When the red light goes out: Stunning photographs capture eeriness of world's abandoned brothels


The doors to the world's oldest and most secretive profession are closely guarded - to all but the paying customer that is - making them the subject of much intrigue and mystery.



A series of photographs, capturing abandoned brothels around the world, gives a rare glimpse into the seedy underworld of prostitution and the patrons it caters for.



The typical, tasteless decor of red velvet and garish paint are now streaked with dust, the mirrored walls are smudged and grimy while novelty beds lie covered in debris.



Debauchery disappeared: Grimy mirrors and a circular bed covered in fallen ceiling plaster are all that remains of this abandoned brothel along a highway in Spain

The images capture the tawdry appearance of brothels along with the air of desperation and loneliness which permeates the deserted rooms long after the last women have left.



There is little given away about the people who lived, worked and visited the brothels, such is the murky world of prostitution - despite their existence as far back as records began. The earliest mention of brothels appeared in records of the Sumerians in 4000 BC - operated by priests and dedicated to the goddess Ishtar.

The roots of the word brothel can be traced back to the old English word breothan which means 'to decay' or 'to go to ruin'.

The unsavoury destinations are worldwide but some stand out from the seedy crowd. In Carson City, just northwest of 'Sin City' Las Vegas, is the legendary Moonlite Bunny Ranch. It is owned by Dennis Hof, the self-styled 'Pimpmaster General', and his club has the dubious honour of being endorsed by sex addicts like Howard Stern, Larry Flynt and Hugh Hefner.

Across the pond, at Big Sister in Prague, the services are free - but there is a catch. On completion of your private moment, the club then beams it around the world via cable TV - and a similar venue is due to open in the U.S. soon.



Unlocking the past: A cupboard lies empty of the keys to each bedroom (left) while a prostitute's stacked platform gathers dust in the corner of a room at the Spanish brothel

Last orders: A dust-covered bar, lined with garish red cushion, and heaps of rubble are all that remain of this abandoned brothel somewhere in Spain

The Moulin ruined: Broken-up red velvet sofas and paintings of Parisian-style dancers adorn the wall while a bidet is plonked in the middle of what appears to be centre stage at the Spanish bordello

A cook in the kitchen... An unidentified brothel in Spain, has been kitted out with living quarters for prostitutes, with jars of spices and tins of food left behind while rot collects in a bedroom (right) Behind closed doors: Brownwood Brothel in Texas closed around 60 years ago - but did a roaring trade as the town was home to the U.S. Army's Camp Bowie during the Second World War where 80,000 soldiers lived at peak times

After the gold rush: This brothel in Rhyolite, Nevada summed up the vices of the Wild West. The town, which had a population of 2,500 in 1905, also had 50 saloons and 35 gambling tables



Non-descript knocking shop: This low bungalow on a busy highway was once Janie's Ranch near Montgomery's Pass, Nevada - the only state in the U.S. where prostitution is legal

Take your seat: Chairs lined up against a wall at Janie's Ranch brothel in Nevada probably made for some fairly awkward small talking among paying customers

Broken hearts: A gaping hole in the floor suggests a heart-shaped tub once filled this spot at Janie's (left) while out the window is the rugged mountains along the picturesque Nevada skyline

End of the world: Nacho Labrador, a 24-year-old Spanish photographer stumbled across this decrepit brothel on the outskirts of Bunol, Spain. The building was covered in graffiti and even the door frames had been chiseled out

Cleaned out: The 'hostess' club, located about 40 miles from Valencia, has been completely gutted, leaving little signs of its former life

'Now that there's nothing left': Graffiti covers the wall at the Castejón de Monegros, an abandoned brothel in northeastern Spain (left). In the distance, the national emblem of a bull can be seen