266. Kolkwitz TB Hospital (DE)
History:
The former clinic was once a pulmonary sanatorium for tuberculosis sufferers. At the end of the 18th century, many people fell ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. Increasingly, health resorts were also being built all over rural, forested areas of Germany because here too the good, fresh air of the area promoted the recovery process.
It was built at a cost of 500,000 Reichmarks and completed in just 18 months, opening in June 1900. Shortly afterwards, Dr. Robert Koch arrived and brought his developed tuberculin to test, but this was unsuccessful.
Ooops.
During the Second World War, the sanatorium was mainly occupied by patients from the next nearest Clinic, which had been almost completely destroyed by a direct bomb hit. This worked well and continued: From around 1970, more and more departments of [that] Clinic moved here and it became an academy for medical training.
Luckily, there isn’t that much call for TB hospitals anymore, so it closed in 2007, and was sold to a private investor. For the last 17 years the trees have been growing up in its grounds and people have been visiting to explore / trash the place. But it still makes my heart skip a beat to see an abandoned fairytale castle with towers spiring above the forest canopy come into view from our hire car.
Explore:
Once into to site we all split up to find an access, I was inspecting a corner of a courtyard when I spotted a leg appear from the window next to me. I assumed it was Priority7 as her was ahead of me, but it soon became apparent the leg was clad in a sundress, which Priority7 doesn’t usually wear, even on weekends. She clocked me and was surprised to say the least, I gave her a wave and a “Hi” to let her know I wasn’t Secca.
Her partner wasn’t far behind her, naughty naughty. But it cemented our way in. It was beautiful in there, and I spent hours wandering the corridors living total nostalgia from my early days of wandering UK asylums.
Future:
It’s actually up for sale now if you have £3.2m spare. It already has approval to be converted in to over 100 apartments ranging from 47 to 110 m² for elderly / disabled people. The listing also mentions the amazing chapel, and mentions that some stained-glass panels have been moved to storage to keep them safe.
I can definitely say this wasn’t worth the climb (I had to be guided back down lol)
I love that the paint had peeled off to reveal the former Russian writing below
The piece of resistance was of course the Chapel.
The former clinic was once a pulmonary sanatorium for tuberculosis sufferers. At the end of the 18th century, many people fell ill with pulmonary tuberculosis. Increasingly, health resorts were also being built all over rural, forested areas of Germany because here too the good, fresh air of the area promoted the recovery process.
It was built at a cost of 500,000 Reichmarks and completed in just 18 months, opening in June 1900. Shortly afterwards, Dr. Robert Koch arrived and brought his developed tuberculin to test, but this was unsuccessful.
Ooops.
During the Second World War, the sanatorium was mainly occupied by patients from the next nearest Clinic, which had been almost completely destroyed by a direct bomb hit. This worked well and continued: From around 1970, more and more departments of [that] Clinic moved here and it became an academy for medical training.
Luckily, there isn’t that much call for TB hospitals anymore, so it closed in 2007, and was sold to a private investor. For the last 17 years the trees have been growing up in its grounds and people have been visiting to explore / trash the place. But it still makes my heart skip a beat to see an abandoned fairytale castle with towers spiring above the forest canopy come into view from our hire car.
Explore:
Once into to site we all split up to find an access, I was inspecting a corner of a courtyard when I spotted a leg appear from the window next to me. I assumed it was Priority7 as her was ahead of me, but it soon became apparent the leg was clad in a sundress, which Priority7 doesn’t usually wear, even on weekends. She clocked me and was surprised to say the least, I gave her a wave and a “Hi” to let her know I wasn’t Secca.
Her partner wasn’t far behind her, naughty naughty. But it cemented our way in. It was beautiful in there, and I spent hours wandering the corridors living total nostalgia from my early days of wandering UK asylums.
Future:
It’s actually up for sale now if you have £3.2m spare. It already has approval to be converted in to over 100 apartments ranging from 47 to 110 m² for elderly / disabled people. The listing also mentions the amazing chapel, and mentions that some stained-glass panels have been moved to storage to keep them safe.
I can definitely say this wasn’t worth the climb (I had to be guided back down lol)
I love that the paint had peeled off to reveal the former Russian writing below
The piece of resistance was of course the Chapel.
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To get in touch, please use the contact page.