Oxford during the pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic is having far-reaching consequences, as we are all aware. One of the most visible ones are the empty cities and towns, which usually would be filled with residents, tourists and shoppers.
I decided against moving back to my parents’ place in the midst of the pandemic. Instead, I decided to stay at Oxford to sit my final exams.
When I went to college one day, a porter said to me, “now would be the perfect time to take postcard-like pictures of all these famous landmarks, since no one is around!”. That inspired me to actually go around Oxford city centre and capture some of the landmarks in a highly unusual emptiness.
The entrance to the inner quad of the Bodleian Library - with shut doors.
Radcliffe Square - normally there would be lines and lines of tourists posting here in front of the Radcliffe Camera.
Since 17th of March the libraries in Oxford are closed.
A very rare sight: Almost empty High Street without buses and cars. (very pleasant for cyclists like me)
Normally busy and bustling, Cornmarket St without opened shops is very desolate.
*Even Mc Donald has closed its shops.
You cannot hear it, but the wind was making the sign “No 1” squiek, adding to the atmosphere of an empty street.
More like “Eat, drink and be socially distancing
Big shopping mall Westgate - without customers.
The Broad street is broadly empty.