All language subtitles for Mysteries.of.the.Abandoned.S09E06.1080p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H.264-BTN_track3_[und]

[narrator] A royal retreat
caught in a web of corruption.

There have been allegations.

These beautiful structures
have been allowed to fall
into disrepair on purpose.

[narrator]
An engineering marvel
that lit up the modern age.

If you look at this gallery,
it just radiates power.

[narrator]
And a subterranean treasure
with a formidable secret.

[narrator]
And a subterranean treasure
with a formidable secret.

They did not want
the United States to know
what was going on there.

[narrator] Decaying relics,
ruins of lost worlds...

sites haunted by the past...

their secrets waiting
to be revealed.

On the U.S. Canadian border,
an extensive labyrinth lies
hidden

behind the mighty
Niagara Falls.

In the cliff face,
below Niagara Falls
is this huge tunnel

leading who knows where.

But why put it here

so dangerously close to such
an extraordinary natural force
like the falls?

so dangerously close to such
an extraordinary natural force
like the falls?

[narrator]
The only building nearby
appears to be unrelated.

Could be a turn of the century
train station

or hotel.

[narrator] Inside, things
take an unexpected turn.

There's a room that looks
like something out of a Jules
Verne adventure.

There's a room that looks
like something out of a Jules
Verne adventure.

One particularly big room
is filled with a row
of enormous blue cylinders...

each one just radiates
some sense of power.

[narrator]
Behind eerie corridors
lined with rusting machinery,

there's more than meets
the eye.

A deep shaft plummets
over 100 feet
and is shrouded in darkness.

A deep shaft plummets
over 100 feet
and is shrouded in darkness.

So you've got all of this sort
of odd construction

right next to one of these
classic wonders of the world.

And it was absolutely
groundbreaking in its day.

[narrator] Heritage Manager,
Jim Hill

reveals how these structures
were intended to blend
into the surroundings.

So when they designed
the building,

they thought a lot
about the materials
they were going to use,

even the kind of limestone
had a slightly bluish,
greenish tinge,

just like the water.

So they were kind of blending
the look of the building
with the water.

And then the roof is all done
in this beautiful green tile.

And that would allow the top
of the building to blend
in with the tree line.

[narrator]
But the quaint camouflaged
facade is deceptive.

[narrator]
But the quaint camouflaged
facade is deceptive.

What you're looking at
is like an iceberg.

You're only really seeing
about a quarter
of the building.

What makes this building
special and in some ways
visionary in its design

is how much you don't see.

[narrator]
This is the Canadian Niagara
power station.

One of North America's first
and most ambitious
hydroelectric plants.

It can be traced back
to the late 19th Century

It can be traced back
to the late 19th Century

and the inspiration
of pioneering entrepreneur,
William B. Rankine.

But why is most
of the construction concealed
underground?

Rankine visited Niagara
in 1877.

And he became consumed
with the idea

of harnessing Niagara's power.

And he started thinking about
the potential for this huge
amount of natural power

And he started thinking about
the potential for this huge
amount of natural power

to make electricity.

The need for electricity
was literally soaring
through the roof.

[narrator] Yet many objected
to Rankine's plan.

Fearing it would damage
tourism and threaten the
local indigenous way of life.

As long as there has been
a Niagara Falls,

there has been people here.

And water to them
was everything. It was life.

And water to them
was everything. It was life.

There was a lot of fear
and anxiety about electricity.

It was considered to be
a dangerous natural force

that might be impossible
to harness effectively.

Years of delay eroded support
for the project.

And it cost them the exclusive
rights to generate power
for the Canadian side.

[narrator] Eventually,
an agreement was reached

[narrator] Eventually,
an agreement was reached

on the condition that the
plant didn't spoil the view

or interrupt the river's
precious flow.

Out of sight, Rankine's plant
recreated Niagara Falls.

And the key aspect of being
able to generate
the hydroelectric power

is gravity.

Well, the water comes into the
plant from the Niagara River,

and it travels under these
two bridges
into this big four bay

and it travels under these
two bridges
into this big four bay

of just a big pool of water.

And then it looks like it
butts right up against
the building.

But actually, there's these
big archways

and the water comes
in the building
from underneath those arches.

Water from the Niagara River
would come in here,
fill this entire area.

[narrator] Rankine's power
plant sent 5%
of Niagara's flow

cascading down 11 enormous
pipes known as pen stocks.

cascading down 11 enormous
pipes known as pen stocks.

The pen stocks dropped the
entire length of the building.

Literally, gravity
and the force
of all that water falling

those 15 stories down
to the bottom of the plant

is creating the force
that turns the turbine,

just like a big old water
wheel.

Those turbines spin.

They are connected through
giant shafts back up
into the building.

They are connected through
giant shafts back up
into the building.

And each of those turbines
spins one of those
blue generators

you see in that main gallery.

This hall is the generator
hall.

And each one of these
generators weighs
about 40 tons.

So this was massive.

This was incredible technology
for its time.

10,000 horsepower turbines,
the largest in the world
at the time,

10,000 horsepower turbines,
the largest in the world
at the time,

and five generators began
creating hydroelectricity.

[narrator] The halls,
corridors and control room

once buzzed with the hum
of electricity.

You would have heard the whir
of all this machinery moving

loud and, and very much alive.

You're generating electricity
here. You would have felt it.

[narrator] And Rankine's
unobtrusive power plant
didn't stop there.

[narrator] And Rankine's
unobtrusive power plant
didn't stop there.

Today, an elevator travels
down through the guts
of the building.

We are now inside the tailrace
tunnel,

which is a 2,200-foot long
tunnel

that takes you
from the power plant
back to the Niagara River.

[narrator] The tailrace was
key to Rankine's promise

that his power plant
would take nothing away
from Niagara.

But it too had to be hidden
from view.

Constructing this colossal
outlet right by the falls
was a challenge.

At the turn
of the 20th Century,

William B. Rankine
constructed a hydroelectric
power plant at Niagara Falls.

He was only given the rights
to build it

if he kept it concealed

and if the plant had no impact
on Niagara's flow.

To do that, required
an innovative solution.

To do that, required
an innovative solution.

Well, by digging this huge
wheel pit,

you're recreating
Niagara Falls without
interrupting Niagara Falls.

You could bring the water
into the plant without
affecting the waterfall

or having equipment
or machinery
right at the water's edge.

So it's a lot more work
to create this,
this separate waterfall.

They needed to use dynamite
to blast this huge tunnel

through 160-feet
mainly of limestone.

through 160-feet
mainly of limestone.

Then this whole tunnel
is lined with about 17 inches
of concrete

and then glazed brick so
the water could move smoothly
through it.

So all that water that came
through the plant
can generate electricity,

flows right back in
to the Niagara River.

[narrator] But Rankine didn't
live long enough to see the
impact of his miracle plant.

Sadly, in September, 1905,
Rankine died,

Sadly, in September, 1905,
Rankine died,

just a few days after the
third generator came online

and started providing
more power.

[narrator] Unseen, the
Canadian Niagara power station
transformed the region.

It helped supply power to
the entire Great Lakes area.

And this rapidly became one of
the most industrialized areas

of the United States.

The Canadian Niagara power
station was so well made,

and so beautifully engineered
that it continued to function
for 100 years.

[narrator] But in 2005,

the once cutting-edge
generators
were finally switched off.

Now, a major renovation
project is underway.

We're going to invite guests
to come through.

Visitors to Niagara Falls
can see the inside
of this power plant.

At night, there'll be
an exciting sound
and light show

that will literally bring life
back to this power plant.

[narrator] In the mountains
of Southwest Romania,

[narrator] In the mountains
of Southwest Romania,

on the banks of the River
Cerna

are the ruins of a once
lavish destination.

When you get closer,
you see that the town is split
between the two river banks.

And on one side, there's
a very grand looking ruin.

This must have been a really
important place, but it's
clearly seen better days.

[narrator] Adorning the walls
inside are hallmarks
of the site's former glory.

As you enter, you're greeted
by this extraordinary
painted ceiling

and radiating off either side
are long, long corridors

with what appear to be Latin
inscriptions on the roofs,

and coming off those corridors
of what seemed to be
a whole series of cells.

[narrator]
For the affluent people that
frequented this establishment,

[narrator]
For the affluent people that
frequented this establishment,

an experience of escape
and pure indulgence awaited.

So, what brought all of this
wealth here
and where did it go?

[narrator] Oana Chirila
is a Romanian architect.

She first visited this
derelict site four years ago,
while still a student.

She first visited this
derelict site four years ago,
while still a student.

When I first came here,

I was very sad to see
this place in such a state
of decay.

But I was also mesmerized
by its beauty because the
architecture is quite amazing.

I had the courage to just walk
inside through a broken
window.

And this is the window
through which I got in

with a friend.

with a friend.

[narrator]
Inside, Oana discovered
the remains of a lost world.

Here, powerful people
came to wash away their ills

in the healing thermal waters
that percolate up
from deep underground.

These rooms are individual
treatment rooms,

where people were seeking
medical treatment.

Each person would have
a cabin,

Each person would have
a cabin,

and they would bathe first,

and then have a series of
massages and other treatments.

It was and still is believed

that these treatments
could offer cures for warts,

eczema, chronic joint pain,
asthma, sinus problems

and even relief to sufferers
of long-term arthritis.

[narrator] Today, Romanian
locals know this grand complex

in the town of Herculane
as the Neptune Baths.

in the town of Herculane
as the Neptune Baths.

When it opened
over a century ago,

it was called the Austrian
Imperial Baths.

Only a select few
were allowed inside.

Right now, we are in the
individual treatment room

of Emperor Franz Joseph.

He came here around
three times for three weeks

He came here around
three times for three weeks

along with Princess Sisi.

Franz Joseph was the Emperor
of Austria.

And he ruled over this empire
for almost 70 years.

And when Franz Joseph
came here, in 1852,

he declared it the most
beautiful resort town
on the entire continent.

And that's when this area
really started to come into
its own.

And that's when this area
really started to come into
its own.

Franz Joseph and his wife
Empress Elisabeth

or Sisi,
as she was often known,

regarded the town
and the baths as their own
personal playground.

Despite Elisabeth's
royal status and great wealth,

she often cut
a forlorn figure.

Elisabeth didn't really fit
into the royal court
at Vienna.

She didn't do what women of
the time were expected to do.

She didn't do what women of
the time were expected to do.

She helped the needy.
She wrote poetry.

She lived very much
on her own terms.

[narrator]
Elisabeth is also said to have
struggled with depression

and an eating disorder.

Today, we talk a lot about
body image.

And clearly, Elisabeth
felt those same pressures
hundreds of years ago.

And clearly, Elisabeth
felt those same pressures
hundreds of years ago.

To compound the tragedy
in Elisabeth's life,

in 1889, her only son died
in a murder suicide

with his young lover,

leaving Elisabeth distraught
for the rest of her life.

So perhaps at Herculane,
she felt a place, where
she could relax and be herself

and maybe free herself
from some of those pressures
if only for a minute.

and maybe free herself
from some of those pressures
if only for a minute.

[narrator] But the peace
Empress Elisabeth felt within
these tranquil walls

would soon be shattered.

[narrator] In Romania,
are the remains of a once
luxurious spa resort.

It served as the personal
retreat of Austro-Hungarian
Emperor Franz Joseph

and his wife Elisabeth...
until tragedy struck.

In 1898, even though she had
been warned against doing so,
she went to Geneva.

In 1898, even though she had
been warned against doing so,
she went to Geneva.

And while she was there,
she was set upon and stabbed
by an assassin.

She was carried away
and then perished later.

[narrator] The opulent bath's
time as a playground
for the wealthy elite

was coming to an end.

As we know, now,
a cataclysm was on the horizon

As we know, now,
a cataclysm was on the horizon

that was going to consume
Europe

in a storm of artillery
and machine gun fire.

Rulers like Franz Joseph
were sleepwalking their way
right into it.

During the First World War,
all the spa facilities
were abandoned.

They were no longer used
for spa treatment
for the nobility.

Soldiers from military
barracks from that time

Soldiers from military
barracks from that time

that came here
to seek treatment

left beautiful markings
on one of the terraces.

Two of these walls are marked
with their names, year,
regiment.

This is when the town started
to decline.

It would never return
to its days of glory under
the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

[narrator]
But the story of the baths
was far from over.

[narrator]
But the story of the baths
was far from over.

At the outbreak of the world's
deadliest conflict,

Romania allied itself
with Hitler's Nazi Germany.

The deal with the devil
backfired

opening the door
for Stalin's communist forces
to consume the country.

You might think that under
a communist leadership,

these buildings would have
been taken apart and seized

and destroyed because of what
they represented.

But the baths were fixed up
and repainted.

But the baths were fixed up
and repainted.

And Herculane once again
became a thriving
resort town.

But the clients
were of a very different sort.

Now, you have people coming
from all over the Soviet Union
and Romania

to these baths that were
previously just the playground
of the rich and the elite.

[narrator]
Yet the baths days as a
worker's Utopia didn't last.

[narrator]
Yet the baths days as a
worker's Utopia didn't last.

In 1989, violent revolution
brought an end

to communist rule in Romania.

And that was often the case
in post-communist regions

or in any region that has
a massive shift in government.

Folks who had formerly been
in positions of political
power saw an opportunity here.

Unfortunately,
corruption happened

and these buildings were
played around like in monopoly

and these buildings were
played around like in monopoly

and had different owners.

And that led
to a property chaos.

There are even allegations

that these beautiful
structures have been allowed
to fall into disrepair

and ruin on purpose.

So they could be redeveloped
without having to worry
too much

about historical preservation.

[narrator] Whatever the truth,
the outcome was the same.

[narrator] Whatever the truth,
the outcome was the same.

By early 2000, the baths
had been completely abandoned.

Today, Oana and her friends
are part of an ambitious plan

to save this grand old ruin.

Our ultimate goal is to
restore the building and give
it back to the community.

The real glimmer of hope here
is that the young people
of Romania

saw their history falling
apart before their eyes

and decided to do something
about it.

[narrator]
Deep in the forests of Poland,

concealed beneath a blanket
of snow and ice

are the remnants
of a destructive force.

There's one building visible.
There's one road in.

But what's special about this
place is all hidden.

And you can't imagine
what's going on here

until you go through these
steel gates.

And then you realize
that it's not above ground
that you should be looking,

but below ground.

It looks like the walls might
just cave in any moment.

You've got to be pretty brave
to want to go deep down
into this particular area.

[narrator] The discarded
equipment littering the site

suggests something
important was once cleaved
from these dark tunnels.

There's bits of train
carriage.
There's some pickaxes.

There's a bit of industrial
equipment. It's clearly
something was going on here.

Possibly mining, but what
exactly were they looking for?

One of the reasons
that this space is interesting

is because it was kept
top secret.

What were they hiding
down here?

What were they hiding
down here?

[narrator] In Southwest Poland
is an abandoned mine.

For subterranean explorer,
Michal Rzadzki,

this site offers
a unique window
into his country's past.

Behind these doors,
lies something of huge value.

This site played a critical
role in the war that dominated
the world for decades...

This site played a critical
role in the war that dominated
the world for decades...

and changed thousands
of people's lives.

[narrator] Inside, a labyrinth
of passageways extend deep
into the earth.

But there is only so far
you can go using motorized
transport.

The only way to reach
the lower levels
is to descend by rope.

It is very dangerous to go
down the shaft.

You have to watch out
for the falling rocks
while descending.

You have to watch out
for the falling rocks
while descending.

We are now about 180 meters
below the surface.

[narrator]
The sought-after commodity
buried in this mine

was originally discovered
by accident.

So uranium was first found
in this area
in, in about the 1920s.

And it was kind of by surprise
because they were actually
mining for iron.

And it was kind of by surprise
because they were actually
mining for iron.

Nuclear power plants today
rely upon uranium.

But there's a much darker use.

And that's where this location
comes into play.

The discovery of atomic
fission confirmed

the idea that uranium
could power

the most fearsome weapons
in human history.

Almost from the start,

there was a race
between leading countries

there was a race
between leading countries

to try to develop
the atomic bomb.

The Soviet Union put
all their energy into building
their own nuclear weapons

as a counterweight
to the Americans.

The one thing that the soviets
needed,

the one piece that was missing
was uranium.

[narrator]
These are the mines of Kowary,

site of a top-secret uranium
deposit

the soviets hoped would propel
them into a nuclear age.

the soviets hoped would propel
them into a nuclear age.

Because the USSR had effective
control of all the countries

within its sphere of influence
behind the iron curtain,

they were able to essentially
make Poland an offer
it couldn't refuse,

which is,
you let us run a mine

to extract uranium
from this location,

and we will pay you
a certain amount per ton
of ore extracted.

[narrator]
While under communist control,

the Kowary mines went by
a different name.

The Soviets went to a lot
of lengths

to keep their uranium mines
and research secret.

They didn't call them mines.

They called them R1 industrial
plants.

Rocks containing uranium veins

were mined by hand,
only with simple tools.

It was very hard to mine

It was very hard to mine

because those rocks contain
only a small amount
of uranium.

Some people have compared
extracted uranium
to dental work or clockwork.

So the soviets were willing
to pay well for this.

They provided good housing
for the workers.

[narrator] The Polish
workforce that toiled
in the darkness

had no idea of the danger
that lay in wait.

The soviets didn't tell the
miners what they were mining,

The soviets didn't tell the
miners what they were mining,

but it was not known
at the time

really what the health risks
were.

So when they come out after
they've been mining for months
or years,

and they start losing
their hair,

and they start losing
their fingernails,

and they start being sick,
they don't know why.

Because the soviets
aren't going to tell them.

[narrator]
If the miners dared to speak
of their activities

or the terrible conditions,
the consequences were serious.

or the terrible conditions,
the consequences were serious.

Soviets didn't allow the
miners to speak about their
work outside of the mine.

There is a legend that
one miner wrote a letter
to his brother

and then spent four years
in prison for that.

So the Russian program
went on.

And eventually in August
of 29th, 1949,

they actually had their first
atomic bomb test
that was successful.

they actually had their first
atomic bomb test
that was successful.

So they became the second
state to own an atomic bomb.

So in many ways,
all of this secretive mining

and the getting
of the uranium paid off.

It was a very successful
project.

They exported about 200 tons
of pure uranium.

But the mine was closed
in 1958

after the Soviets found
their own uranium deposits.

after the Soviets found
their own uranium deposits.

[narrator] For 16 years,
the site lay dormant

until it was repurposed
for an altogether
different use in the 1970s.

Which ironically was
for health.

[narrator] In Poland
is a cold war uranium mine.

The Soviet Union abandoned
the site in 1958

when they found
their own deposits.

In the 1970s, the mine enjoyed
a surprising second life.

There was a period when people
believed that being
in an environment

There was a period when people
believed that being
in an environment

with a very low-level
radiation like a uranium mine

was actually good
for your health.

With the idea that people
would go into the mines

and lounge and inhale
the radon in the air

with the theory that it had
somehow healing powers.

[narrator] But the mines time
as a so-called inhalation
hospital

didn't last long.

In the late 1980s,
the shaft lining collapses

and there's just no economic
reason to repair it.

And so, the mine is no longer
utilized.

[narrator]
Today, the mines upper levels
are open to visitors,

but most of the subterranean
passages are too dangerous
to access.

Only 10% of the mine now
is available for the tourists.

The rest of it is closed
or flooded...

because it can collapse
at any time.

[narrator]
In Uruguay, on the east bank
of the Uruguay River,

is a fallen cathedral
from an industrial golden age.

We're in this sleepy charming
riverside town.

And right on the edge is this
gigantic sprawling building

that dominates the landscape.

Throughout this site,
there are varying levels
of decay and disarray.

The jetties have almost fallen
into the water.

[narrator] From these docks,

a product was transported
that would change the way
the world eats.

There's a huge warehouse
style building

There's a huge warehouse
style building

and it looks like it's some
form of processing space.

You've got high level
conveyors with machinery
and cogs and hooks.

[narrator] At the heart
of the massive complex,

is an inner sanctum
that kept all the processes
running like clockwork.

You can tell
just by looking at it,
it was something important.

The site created one of the
best-known British brands
of the 20th Century

The site created one of the
best-known British brands
of the 20th Century

and transformed
the Uruguayan economy.

[narrator]
Mauro Delgrosso is a custodian
of this site today.

His strong personal connection
dates back generations.

The links with my family
go back to my grandfather
and my great grandfather

who worked it at the same time
from the beginning to nearly
the mid-20th Century.

who worked it at the same time
from the beginning to nearly
the mid-20th Century.

I can imagine and feel
the noises, the smell,

and the chatter of people
who worked here.

[narrator]
The origin of this vast South
American facility

[narrator]
The origin of this vast South
American facility

can be traced back
to a rapidly industrializing
Europe.

A time when the continent's
urban population were often
undernourished.

Baron Justus von Liebig
had a solution.

Justus von Liebig
was a German scientist
in the 19th Century.

And in 1847, he actually
developed a beef concentrate

And in 1847, he actually
developed a beef concentrate

that he hoped would be able
to bring nutritious food
to the poor of Europe.

[narrator]
But there was a problem
with Liebig's idea.

Europe, Germany, Britain,
France

do not have vast prairies

on which you can raise
thousands and thousands
of cattle

to boil down into concentrate.

Liebig actually decided
to look outside of Germany.

And to him, there was no
better place than Uruguay.

They had a burgeoning
cattle economy.

And it was relatively cheap
to acquire cows there.

The factory first opened
in 1865,

but it was immediately
embroiled in controversy.

It turns out this miracle
nutritional product

that was designed for the poor

actually had no
nutritional value at all.

actually had no
nutritional value at all.

[narrator]
To keep up with demand,

the factory's owners start
looking for a nourishing
alternative.

In Uruguay, are the rusting
remains of a sprawling
industrial site.

Its first product was a meat
extract that offered little
nutritional value

to the hungry European workers
it was meant to feed.

The factory starts producing
a more nourishing substitute,

tinned corned beef.

tinned corned beef.

This is a canned product

of ground beef,

fat and loads of salt.

And you put it in a can
and it will last forever.

[narrator]
This is the Fray Bentos
industrial complex

named after the town
in Uruguay,

where the vast factory
was located.

At its height, it was one of
the world's biggest producers
of canned meat.

At its height, it was one of
the world's biggest producers
of canned meat.

And in the UK, it became
a much-loved brand.

Its iconic products found in
every kitchen of the country.

Fray Bentos eventually
earns the nickname
of kitchen of the world

simply because of the massive
quantities of food

that were coming out of there.

[narrator]
The factory had the capacity
to slaughter 1,600 cows a day.

Each one was enough to make
around 1,500 cans
of corned beef.

Each one was enough to make
around 1,500 cans
of corned beef.

What makes this factory
so successful

is that the process of turning
livestock

into canned meat

has been worked out really
carefully from beginning
to end.

It only took 30 minutes
from the moment the animal
fell on the platform

to the moment it was stored
in the cold chamber.

to the moment it was stored
in the cold chamber.

A phrase often repeated
here...

was that everything
from the animal was used
except its mooing.

[narrator] As profits grew,
so did investment.

In 1883, this became
the first place in Uruguay

to be powered by electricity.

The country's capital had
to wait another three years.

The factory was extremely
important for the city,

not only in terms
of employment,

but because it created
a neighborhood
where the workers lived.

It also founded
a football club and sponsored
sports and social clubs.

[narrator]
In 1924, the factory was sold
to a British company.

Its new owners soon faced
their greatest test.

Its new owners soon faced
their greatest test.

As Nazi forces terrorized
Europe,

could the workers of Frey
Bentos step up production

and prove an unlikely hero
in the fight against Hitler?

Corned beef was extremely
important for soldiers during
World War II.

Because it was easy to
transport in their backpacks,

Because it was easy to
transport in their backpacks,

easy to open
and had a large amount
of protein in each can.

The process would
start by boiling the meat,

then it would be put into cans

and sterilized
in these autoclaves,

with a capacity for 1,800 cans
in each one.

[narrator] 4,000 workers
at the factory

kept this powerhouse
of production running
like clockwork.

In just four months,
they churned out 16 million
cans of corned beef.

Hundreds of thousands
of hungry allied troops

were kept fighting fit
eating this Uruguayan export.

A nice story is always
remembered.

A nice story is always
remembered.

Workers, before packing
the cans, would write messages
of support

on the labels
to the soldiers...

soldiers that they would never
meet.

[narrator] The popularity
of Frey Bentos

soared in the early post-war
years.

But by the mid-1960s,
appetite for the iconic tinned
food plummeted.

There is less demand
for preserved food

and salted and canned food
in Europe,
especially in Great Britain.

So it is no longer
as profitable

to can that much beef

and ship it overseas.

[narrator] Then in 1964,
a typhoid outbreak in Scotland

in which three people died

in which three people died

was traced back to the Fray
Bentos plant in Uruguay.

This signaled the end of the
factory's British ownership.

This had a massive effect and
shut the English market down.

Shortly after in 1968,

the British gave this factory
away to the Uruguayan
government.

the British gave this factory
away to the Uruguayan
government.

[narrator] The factory limped
on for the next decade.

But by 1979,
profits had slumped so low,

it was forced
to permanently close.

Today, much of the facility
has fallen into disrepair.

Today, much of the facility
has fallen into disrepair.

It's pretty much
only disturbed
by the occasional tourists

who come in to check out
this place.

In 2015,
UNESCO declared the factory

a world heritage site,

ensuring its place in history

as one of the world's biggest
producers of tinned food

will not be forgotten.