Doel: The ghost town graffiti artists tried to save
Twenty years ago, Doel was a picture-postcard village with more than 1,000 residents.
But two decades ago, it was targeted for demolition to allow for the expansion of Antwerp's docks.
Most of Doel's former residents have long-since left, but a handful refused to leave and they continue to fight for their home. These days only around 20 people live there, and most of the buildings are boarded up and empty.
But as it emptied, Doel became something of a paradise for some of Europe's best-known graffiti artists. Some residents even encouraged street artists to turn up, in an attempt to create an open-air gallery.
These days, vandals are more common than street artists, and life is difficult for those who remain in what has become known as Belgium's ghost town.
Video journalist: Dan Curtis
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08 Dec 2014
- From the section Magazine