During the return trip from a short holiday in the Harz Mountains last summer, we took a short break for this beautiful location. We were dropped by our fellow explorer Lia, who then looked for a strategic place to keep an eye on things. Twan and I were able to stretch our legs for a while in this large building, where the great decline started a long time ago. With some crumbled ceilings and stairs that are not completely reliable, a great challenge!
hospital
Sanatorium Hohentanneck (DE) – An abandoned lung hospital in the green surroundings of the Harz.
The Hohentanneck sanatorium was built in 1905 and was one of the many sanatoria in Sülzhayn. It was used as a private lung sanatorium for man en women in the region. In 1907 the hospital had 35 beds, after they built a new section to the sanatorium in 1950 it could house 50 patients.
Nursing Home Snippendael (NL) – Up to the white light of eternity
Here, upon these ghostly shadows of men and women
There are no smiles
Singly, they mingle, with the greyness of the walls
And at strange angels, they travel on to nowhere
Mono Orphanage (IT) – Abandoned orphanage at the Italian-Swiss border.
Mono Orphanage, a.k.a. Crying Baby Hospital, is an abandoned orphanage at the Italian-Swiss border. Until the 1970s, nuns prayed, lived and taught to the orphans here. The children mainly came here to cure tuberculosis.
Grand Hotel Prealpi (IT) – The former Grand Hotel in Varese foothills of the Alps
The midsection of this building opened in 1912 as Grand Hotel Prealpi. During the First World War the two wings were added and it was converted into a military hospital.
Ospedale Psichiatrico di Volterra (IT) – This real life asylum of horrors is now an abandoned ruin that hides the unbreakable code to one patient’s insanity.
Volterra Psychiatric Hospital is a former psychiatric hospital in the city of Volterra. Founded in 1888, the hospital was known for its brutal treatment of inmates. It remained open until 1978, when it was closed following the passage of Law 180, which directed the closing down of all existing psychiatric hospitals.
Salve Mater (BE) – Psychiatric Clinic, founded in 1920
This originally was a mental hospital which was run by a religious order.
Children’s Health Resort (HR) – Abandoned hospital in Croatia
This abandoned structure in Krvavica was a Children’s Health Resort from 1964 until the end of the 80’s. Many of the children who stayed at the seaside resort by the Makarska Riviera suffered from asthma or so-called ‘weak lungs’.