They Poisoned an Entire Village | Europe’s Toxic Secret

They Poisoned an Entire Village | Europe’s Toxic Secret

We're heading to Geamăna. It used to be a beautiful village, until there was a big company mining for copper in the area. And they put all their waste into the valley. So all of the village,
all the houses is completely flooded. The floor isn't lava, but a toxic lake. Life is hard when you're all alone. If cows are drinking this water, they die from it. – And have people died?
– They died. There were 365 families here.
And I don't know if there are even 20 of them left. We hoped it would stop, but… I don't think it'll stop soon. Like a symbol of this fucked up story, there's the spire of this church still peeking through the mud. Today, it's day 23 of the journey, and plans have changed constantly. We faced these huge problems with our car… …while going into the mountains. So, we spent the last days together with a local. Her name is Kitti, and we were taking her car. But now, we need a car that is able to go off-road. So, we got this one as a rental. It's pretty cheap here. We just got it for two days, but this will be enough time to go to Geamăna. That's a very interesting spot we've already tried to go to with the Lada. But unfortunately, the engine overheating problem is still there. Since I have to get back over 1,000 km, I don't want to stress the car too much and risk an engine failure. So, we had a nice roadside find. It's those abandoned cooling towers we're going to check out now. I guess they're the biggest cooling towers we've ever explored. And it's partly active. So we hope not to get spotted. Let's see if we can get into them. And that's our car. I just learned that Dacia is a Romanian brand. I like it so far. Seems solid. And I think we won't have any problems going up the hills. Alright, guys, we go? Trespassing private properties is both illegal and dangerous. Watch out for snakes. Holy cow… Watch out for the spider webs! It's not very heavy, it's just completely rusted. Jesus, it's massive! There's a falcon in here. Do you see it? Is it looking for prey? *whistling, echoing* – Nice acoustic. – I think we've never seen a cooling tower preserved like that before. And huge like that. This carpet of moss takes the noise out of our steps. That is amazing! It's brutal, and I get dizzy just looking up at it. Ah, they started to strip it. In the past, heated water was sprayed here in a fine mist, cooled down, and then reheated in a continuous cycle to drive the turbines of what was once one of the country's largest power stations. Until just a few years ago, electricity for an entire region was generated here. Now, the smoke has cleared and the machinery has fallen silent, while thousands of people pass through this valley every day without ever wondering what it looks like inside these 90-meter giants towering above the landscape. On our road trip through Romania, we set out to reveal exactly these kinds of places, which are overlooked, unnoticed, and sometimes hiding in plain sight. Around 100 kilometers from here, between the peaks of the Carpathian Mountains, lies another site that holds a strange gravity we couldn't ignore: a forlorn village swallowed by neglect. We were on our way there – to the final, and most unsettling, destination of our Romania journey. We're heading to Geamăna. Actually, it used to be a picturesque village somewhere in the mountains. Until there was a big mining company… …mining for copper in the area. And they put all their waste into the valley where the village is located. So, all you can see now is a toxic lake. All of the village, all the houses, even the graveyard, were completely flooded. There should be some locals still living in the upper parts of the mountains. Fortunately, we've got Kitti with us who's able to speak Romanian. Kitti opens some doors for us. It's interesting to hear their side of the story. As far as I know, the project was supported by the Romanian government. So, people were just relocated. As is often the case, the small people have to suffer because of economic interests. And that's a story we want to tell because in Romania, the shit happening there is pretty well known, but in the world, it's not really known. Geamăna was once a quiet settlement at the end of the world, tucked away in a secluded valley. Forty years ago, it was wiped off the map to make way for a toxic dump. We came here to search for the last traces still scattered across the landscape – unsure if there was anything left to find at all. – Well… – That's no road anymore. And the problem is we can't turn there. So, the road we were supposed to take down to the river has been swallowed by the river. Since there's no way to make a U-turn, I have to back up. There's a church… That's a church?! – All that's left. – That's crazy, actually, to finally be here. I mean, we found this spot three years ago. And now, we can see it with our own eyes. It's very quiet here. Actually, it's peaceful. Except for Marco flying the drone somewhere. It's a weird feeling because there should be a village buzzing with life, with about 2,000 residents. I'm sitting here at the end of this road, and it just vanishes into this mud. Like a symbol of this fucked up story, there's the spire of this church still peeking through the mud. It's weird. It's the same thoughts I have when we're walking through deserted villages in Italy. Those villages are very rural, and people grew up and lived their whole life there. And then, there's one day when a decision is made. And here, they said, "You know what? We'll flood your valley." You've got to relocate, but you spent your whole life in this valley. That's it. You can't do anything about it. Actually, it's hard to imagine that's a church down there, and that there are houses everywhere. Looks more like they put something on top of a sandbank. As far as the eye can see, the valley has been filled with sludge. Untouched nature was turned into an industrial graveyard – a so-called "tailings pond". All of this is waste from ore processing, the toxic leftovers of mining. There are some kinds of animal tracks. It must be a pretty light animal when it can walk on this. Even though parts of the surface look almost solid, it's not advised to walk on it. It's a thick mud, broken up by pools of water and loaded with heavy metals and chemicals like cyanide. Dead treetops stick out of it like pleading hands, frozen in place. As we later learned, the only reason an unbearable stench didn't drive us right away is that additives have been mixed into the waste. This photo of Geamăna was taken in the 1970s, just before the villagers were forced to leave. Now, fifty years later, this is roughly where we set up camp for the night, and took this shot. The houses that once stood below the church are now buried under a 90-meter layer of industrial waste. While we set out to find locals who stayed behind, we had a grim suspicion: the level is still rising – right now, just as we were exploring. So there's a white noise
we can hear and we're getting closer. Sounds like something is splashing in the lake. There are a lot of them. Let's join them. The scale of this disaster was far greater than we had imagined – and the damage is still ongoing. We had thought of it as a sin of the communist era, but even today, the valley is slowly disappearing beneath the sludge, with the toxic waste creeping closer and closer to the few remaining homes. It's hard to comprehend that people are still living here, in a place so hostile to life. It was time to make contact. Only then did we realize that we had set up camp on private land, still used for agriculture. So, we approached the woman who was bringing her cattle to graze. She didn't want to be on camera, but she pointed us toward the few remaining residents who still call this valley home. So, what was she saying? – It wasn't a problem that we camped here. – At least. And this is still an active mine. They changed the composition of the sludge, so you don't smell it anymore. But a few years ago, it was even toxic to inhale it. But is it still toxic? It is, but you can't smell it. So, we're looking out for some locals now. And apparently, those people are even growing vegetables right next to the lake. I'm not sure if they just don't care, or if it's not as toxic as we thought… Or if those people may not know the real danger, I don't know. Somebody is shouting again. Hello! May I ask you something about the lake and if we can take photos and videos? By chance, we found someone willing to talk to us – a woman who had spent her entire life in this valley. She was also the one who showed us the old photograph of Geamăna from the 1970s. Her name was Valeria. With Kitti's help translating, she began to share what it was like when it all started – back when they were first told that Geamăna was doomed to disappear. We had a female mayor back then, not a male. She told the whole village to go to a community meeting and asked everybody where they wanted to move, or what to do, because of what's happening. And the people were undecided. If we had been united, they would've built us a village somewhere, and we wouldn't be like this. But when the water came, each left as they could. Some died before, some houses collapsed, and only one house remained with everything left behind. It was my neighbor's. There were eight kids, and they couldn't agree on how to divide the money, so it all went down in the lake. In that picture, you can only see the center of the village. This was the community center. This is where we went to the medical office, here are some houses, and that was the school. How long did it take for the water to come after you were notified? It didn't take that long. Did everybody find a place to stay by then? They moved where they could. Some bought houses, because, when it started, it wasn't that expensive. We read online that authorities promised to build a new village 7 km away. – They didn't do anything! – Nothing at all? Absolutely nothing at all! Those were fairy tales. Behave yourself, child. The mayoress said if we were united, they would do this and that. At one end of this vast valley, a bald, wounded mountain stands out. That's where it all began in the late 1970s. Here, the Roșia Poieni mine was carved into the rock – today Romania's largest copper mine, and one of the biggest in all of Europe. During the communist era, dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu ruled to exploit these copper deposits – and, in doing so, sealed the fate of the neighboring valley, which was gradually flooded with the toxic leftovers of ore processing. By 1978, the residents were ordered to leave their homes. They received compensation, but only the equivalent of a few thousand euros today, depending on the size of their land. Barely enough to start over. Could you buy a house with that amount? Those who had savings, those who worked and had some money put aside. Those could do something, the others couldn't buy anything. They had no way. And have people died? They died. Most of those who were here died. Behave yourself, child! There are very few left. There were 365 families here. And I don't know if there are even 20 of them left. – It was beautiful here… – It's so sad how a village just disappears like that. It was nice, and we had good times back then, when things were different. How old is he? – He turned four in April. – He's grown, congrats! He has a brother who's two years old. Their mom is my sister. So, they are your sister's, not your grandsons. No, they are not mine. They are my nephews. Calm down, kid! And will they stay here, or will they move away? When they grow older, I don't know. It depends… …if they do well in school. They'll go like others. To get a job, to do something. Otherwise, they'll stay with the cows. Their mom has a lot of cows, around 16 or 17. Is she the one up there? Up here are the animals. We talked to her, too. At that stable, right? People were asking, "Oh, how can you live like that?" We live, as you can see. Do you like it here, as you didn't move away? Well, what can we do now? We don't like it anymore, but we're old now and can't really do anything about it. – Did you think about moving away? – Where could we move? We don't have billions. We don't have billions… My pension is 1,000 LEI (~200 EUR). Right now, I have a cow and a calf. I let them roam free, and in the evening, they return. They roam around freely… At least plants are growing here. Isn't the soil toxic for them? So far, it's not. I said, if the water comes, I won't use the garden anymore, but with the current prices… This way, I can have some onions, some potatoes, carrots… Pumpkins… You have to do something, otherwise you can't… As long as we can… And when we can't anymore, we'll endure it. Your pigs are huge, so they must like it here. So, there are no promises that the mining will stop? No, there have only been empty promises for several years now that they would stop. Only empty promises, but no actions. We hoped it would stop, but… I don't think it'll stop soon. Alright… We just had our first interview. I'm a bit drunk because they gave us booze that they're producing themselves. And instead of giving me a shot, they gave me a 100 ml glass. I'm the one who's driving. So, I'm really feeling that, together with the 35°C, while having almost no breakfast. But, anyways… Those people really seem to be disappointed and tired. Because nothing is changing. I mean, we're just another film crew… …reaching out to the locals, … …finally finding a way to interview them. And then, they're talking about the same stuff they've been talking about for over 30 years. Everyone who was in a position to promise something promised something, but never stood by their word. And then, they just got replaced by somebody else who promised some other stuff. They're getting replaced as well. So, nothing is really changing. Must be a tough life. – Watch out where you're stepping. – Looks like they were leaving in 2007. It's from 2007. Is this a calendar? With religious holidays? Okay, let's see what's still left. Here's a machine. For making flour, I guess. Yeah, probably. But look, it's self-made. This is from a moped. So, now I'm not sure if it's the booze they gave me or if the whole building is not leveled. Really watch where you're going. What did you find already? Their money, hidden here. What do you mean, you really found their money? 300 LEI, but I dropped a few coins. It was hidden in this paper. How old is it? I don't know… It's from 1943, wow! That's very old. The floor isn't lava, but a toxic lake. It looks even more amazing here. Do you see the water's reflection on the roof? Even though parts of this valley have long been abandoned, most of the few remaining houses are still stubbornly occupied. These are the homes that once stood high enough to escape the rising levels of the toxic lake – at least for now. But the question is: how much longer? Best guard dog ever. For the last residents of Geamăna, there is often no choice but to stay until the very end. Poverty and a deep connection to their land leave them with nowhere else to go. Look, I have a lot of work to be done, but no one to help me. Life is hard when you're all alone. She said cows are dying. If cows are drinking this water, they die from it. It happened to her many times. So, she lost lots of cows? And her kids don't like that she speaks on camera. What exactly was promised to them? She got 26,000 LEI back in the communist era. But she couldn't buy a house from it. That's why she's been renting this place since then. She has four daughters. One of them is living close. They're not visiting her. That was when she almost started crying. They're not visiting her because they're waiting for her to move to them. When she's done here all alone. But it's a tough decision to leave your house and move to your kids. Nobody is doing anything. Just recording it. They don't get anything from it. And now, the mine is not working because they don't have water. That's why only one out of three pipes is working. Luckily… But the people here don't have water, too, or bread or anything. The council doesn't care about them and sends no help. Geamăna has been consumed – its people abandoned, and its story forgotten and ignored. For nearly half a century, this catastrophe has unfolded in silence. Today, only a handful of voices remain to tell what happened here. Every year, the toxic lake rises by another meter. Our visit and the footage in this video date back to August 2022. Now, over three years later, recent photos show the church almost completely buried beneath this rising poison. With it vanishes a warning, a monument to broken promises – and a reminder that we are watching ourselves drown in the ecological disasters we create. For the people
of Germany, there will be no justice. There's no hope left, and yet, this is just one chapter in a much larger story. In fact, all of this might be happening
again. Only a few kilometers away, plans were made to wipe an entire town off the map to make way for what could become one of the largest gold mines in Europe. Andy from the channel Faultline just released a deep dive on that, and we highly recommend checking it out if you want to learn more. Huge thanks to our Romanian friends Kitti and Codrin. Without their help on the ground
and their translations, this documentary
simply wouldn't have been possible. And also a massive
shout out to Lukas, our composer. He's the reason why the series sounds
so freaking good. This was the final chapter
of our Romanian series, at least for now. We still have unreleased footage
from the trip, so if you want to see more explorations
from Romania, let us know in the comments. And a quick reminder: Our 2026 Urbex calendars are available
in our shop, but there aren't many left. We've also created a bundle where you can grab the calendar together with our photo book and some stickers at a lower price. Every purchase in our online shop
and every bit of support on Patreon is what makes these videos
possible in the first place, thank you. That’s it for today really hope you enjoyed today's episode. Please make sure to share your thoughts
with us in the comments, because we would like to know
what you think about this whole story. And also, if you like our work,
you know the deal, you can share it. This helps a lot
and we really appreciate it. In January 2026, it's going to be
this channel's 10th anniversary and we are super stoked for this year
because we got so many cool things planned. I'm sitting here
at an undisclosed location, because I'm preparing actually a project
that we will have next year in cooperation with a German TV show.
But more information on all of this later. For now,
just stay curious and keep exploring.

Balkan Detours: Geamăna (Season 02, Episode 05)

In the final episode of Balkan Detour’s second season, we travel to one of the most disturbing places in Europe: Geamăna, a village in Transylvania that was swallowed by a toxic lake. Once, hundreds of families lived here. Today, only the church tower rises from the sludge – a silent reminder of a community sacrificed for mining. We meet one of the last villagers who refused to leave. Her story reveals what happens when profit outweighs people, when landscapes are erased, and when entire villages become collateral damage. #urbex #abandonedplaces #bwturbex

Just a few kilometres from the sunken village in this video, plans were made to wipe an entire town off the map to make way for one of Europe’s largest gold mines. Watch the full story on the channel Faultline ► https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxfQVKFBMtM

2026 Urban Exploration Calendar ► https://bwturbex.com/products/2026-urban-exploration-calendar
2026 marks ten years of Broken Window Theory. Get our anniversary edition calendar and dive into the hidden beauty of abandoned places, captured in over 80 fine art images!

Our merchandise bundle ► https://bwturbex.com/products/bundle
Here’s what’s inside: a signed copy of our photo book, our Urban Exploration Calendar, and an exclusive sticker set. Your purchases fund our explorations!

Music and sound design ► Lukas Medves
https://www.instagram.com/lukas.medves
https://www.youtube.com/@Lukas.Medves
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00:00 – Intro
00:57 – Abandoned cooling towers
05:19 – The sunken village
10:00 – Toxic lake
14:42 – One of the last residents
20:46 – Exploring what’s left
27:42 – Outro