German photographer climbs to dizzying heights, risking life and limb

 

 

Most teenagers are busy with school, spending time with friends, playing sports and video games, etc., but not Andrej Ciesielski. The German teenager was climbing skyscrapers at age 15. Ironically, he was afraid of heights. But what better way to conquer a fear than by facing it head on, he says. A few years later, when he was 18, he got the attention of news outlets all over the world and built an online following by scaling a pyramid in Egypt in an impressive eight minutes. Government officials weren’t thrilled with Ciesielski and he received a lifetime ban from visiting the Arabic country.

Since his banishment from Egypt in 2015, Ciesielski has visited – and climbed buildings – in the United Arab Emirates, Japan, China, Korea and the United States. Elite Daily talked with him while he was in New York City. Why does he scale skyscrapers and monuments? It’s all about getting a view that not many other people ever have and sharing adventures with fellow climbers.

Andrej captures very cool images during his climbs, saving the rest of us from having to take the risks he does. He acknowledges these dangers, but his biggest fear isn’t falling during a climb, but rather being caught. He was busted in New York City but released without charges. He wasn’t as lucky when he was arrested when scaling the Rainbow Bridge in Japan. That stunt earned him an eight-day stay in jail. While worried about being arrested and banned from additional countries, the fear is part of the excitement for him.

You can go on a first-person journey with Andrej Ciesielski in the video below. Warning: There is mild not-safe-for-work language in the video.

You can view more of Andrej’s work at his website and by following him on Instagram.

(Seen via ISO 1200. Index image.)