Located in the forbidden territory of Sperrgebiet, Kolmanskop was discovered as a town rich in diamonds in 1908 and soon after developed into a bustling centre with large houses, a school, casino, theatre and the first X-ray station in the southern hemisphere. Kolmanskop declined after World War I when diamond prices crashed. Richer diamond deposits were also discovered further south and operations were moved to the town of Oranjemund. Today the ghost town shows little resemblance to what it once was and is slowly being covered by sand dunes. Tourists can visit a museum and walk through houses that are knee-deep in sand.