Images from the enormous, derelict textile factory of Kreenholm in the Estonian city of Narva, directly on the border with Russia. An ongoing project consisting of an exploration in photos of this extraordinary deserted factory.

The island of Kreenholm is in the river marking the boundary between Narva in Estonia and Ivangorod in Russia. The factory premises include a labyrinth of production halls that were once filled with weaving looms and spinning machines, employing thousands of people. Eventually becoming one of the world’s biggest textile mills, it was founded in 1856 by German industrialist Ludwig Knoop. During the Soviet era, it accounted for about 8% of the USSR’s total textile production. After Estonian Independence in 1991, the factory continue to operate but in 2008 the last loom was turned off, with sewing and finishing operations closing down two years later. It’s been disused and derelict ever since, populated by birds, mice and foxes.

The reservoir serving the water needs of both bordering countries is to the east of the factory, leading to the giant Lake Peipsi. In the spring, the damn between river and reservoir is opened and spectacular rapids tumble down towards the border crossings between the two towns.

Concerts have been held in the factory courtyards, and in a more peaceful era, when cross-border visits would be easier and more friendly, the massive investment required to renovate and develop the area might be realised. Meanwhile, the buildings stand eerily empty but full of architectural surprises, including the ornate crowns of the cast pillars still holding up the ceilings in the production halls. It’s a fairly niche tourism attraction, but visitors are always astonished at the scale and details of the complex. These range from those ornate pillars to alcoholic drink labels and Hollywood pinups, the remains of worker relaxation, on the walls, themselves peeling in pastel flakes of fading paint. I was astonished myself when I visited for the first time in spring 2023 (luckily coinciding with the dramatic release of the water to feed those rapids), and on my second visit in January 2024 when everything was covered by a sparkling sheen of frost and the rapids were frozen over.

Near the entrance there’s a memorial, screened by shrubs and bushes that are gradually reclaiming the red-brick and sand stone surroundings, commemorating a strike by women workers in 1872.

These images will be the eventually expanding result of various visits.

The factory is not generally open – you need to arrange a visit. If you happen to visit Narva and you want to visit Kreenholm, you can make an appointment for a tour through the Narva Museum.