Detroit has long been known for its gritty edge, and as the city that spawned the likes of Eminem, J Dilla and more recently, our favourite wild-haired rapper, Danny Brown. The city was declared bankrupt in December 2013, after finding itself a staggering $18.5 billion in debt.

Once a centre of economic activity and a booming car manufacturing industry, Detroit was studded with grand buildings as monuments to its success. It fell into steep decline since the 1960s, struggling with social issues and racial segregation, and a crippling crime rate. Now it’s brimming with urban decay, tens of thousands of abandoned houses and shocking inner city ruins.

Photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre captured the Michigan capital in what they call a “state of mummification” in their series The Ruins of Detroit, as weekly photographic bulletins for Time magazine.

They came up with some incredible images of abandoned classrooms, libraries, ballrooms, hotels and factories, all crumbling and peeling but still bearing an air of their former grandeur.

Check out images from The Ruins of Detroit above, or head to the photographers’ website to see more.

More Detroit:

Watch: Crack and Shine Episode Three – ‘Detroit’
Detroit Beautification Project: REVOK x RIME