Vanitas. Ruina jako przestrzeń (bez)graniczna

The main inquiry of the article is the question of cultural status of ruins nowadays, especially modern and postmodern abandoned and decayed places. Referring to the well-known and often discussed concept of vanitas, the author tries to use it in a different way and pays particular attention to the following main topics: 1) ruinophilia – a phenomenon in late modern culture; 2) ruin as a parergon and (un)limited space; 3) abandoned buildings as places of contemplation in secularised culture; 4) questionable issue of a “death of a place”.