Hidden Cities

Hidden Cities is an exploration of off-limits urban spaces by urban planner and adventurer Moses Gates. Through his experiences accessing restricted infrastructure, abandoned buildings, and underground tunnels across multiple continents, Gates documents the hidden layers that exist beneath the surface of major cities. Gates introduces readers to the global community of urban explorers who seek out these forbidden places, from the Paris catacombs to New York's subway tunnels. The narrative follows his progression from novice explorer to experienced participant in this clandestine subculture. The text combines Gates' personal encounters with historical context about the infrastructure, architecture and social dynamics of urban spaces. His background as a demographer and urban planner provides technical insight into how cities develop both above and below ground. Hidden Cities examines humanity's complex relationship with the built environment and questions conventional boundaries between public and private space. Through Gates' adventures, the book reveals an alternate map of the modern metropolis - one defined by curiosity rather than authority.

Readers describe this as an engaging exploration of urban exploration and off-limits spaces in cities worldwide. Many praise Gates' storytelling ability and personal insights into underground culture and infrastructure. Liked: - Detailed accounts of accessing abandoned subway tunnels and climbing bridges - Balance of technical details with human stories - Insider perspective on urban exploration community - Clear explanations of infrastructure history Disliked: - Some found Gates' tone occasionally arrogant - Several readers wanted more photos - A few noted redundant descriptions of climbing techniques - Some felt the pacing slowed in later chapters Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (387 ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (48 ratings) Notable reader comments: "Captures the thrill of discovering hidden spaces while explaining the cultural significance" - Goodreads reviewer "Too focused on personal adventures rather than the spaces themselves" - Amazon reviewer "Made me see my city's infrastructure in a new way" - LibraryThing reviewer

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Explore Everything by Bradley Garrett Follows urban explorers who infiltrate abandoned buildings, tunnel systems, and restricted areas in cities worldwide to document forgotten spaces.

Night Walking by Matthew Beaumont Traces the history of nocturnal urban wandering through London's streets from the medieval period to modern times.

Underground by Will Hunt Investigates subterranean spaces across the globe, from Paris catacombs to New York subway tunnels, examining humanity's relationship with the world beneath our feet.

🏙️ Moses Gates has visited underground spaces in over 20 countries across five continents as part of his urban exploration adventures. 🗺️ The book details Gates' ascent of Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris, his navigation through the catacombs of New York City, and his exploration of the sewers of Moscow. 🚇 Gates worked as a New York City tour guide and urban planner, giving him unique insights into the hidden infrastructure of cities. 👥 The urban exploration community featured in the book has its own language, including terms like "draining" (exploring storm drains) and "infiltration" (accessing off-limits buildings). 🏗️ The author climbed the Williamsburg Bridge in New York City over 100 times while writing this book to better understand the relationship between authorized and unauthorized spaces in urban environments.