Parnitha is a mountain north of Athens and has been declared an area of special natural beauty and an important part of it, is the homonymous National Forest. Beyond the fresh air and nature has an interesting attraction, which has enough history behind it and many urban myths that it is haunted. Like any old dilapidated building anyway.
Yesterday we decided with a friend that it was a nice day to go for a walk in Parnitha. But we ended up visiting Sanctuary for the 4th time and I wanted to share this experience with you, through pictures we shot.
But at the same time, I will tell you a few words about the history of Sanatorium of Parnitha. The Sanatorium was built in 1912 1914 under the administration of Evangelismos Hospital, as a Sanatorium for those suffering from tuberculosis. In 1937-1938 he was also hospitalized by one of the most important poets of Greece (Yiannis Ritsos), who was unfortunately not healed, but during his hospitalization he was inspired by three very important works.
The flower is the poetry of reproduction
In 1950, with the discovery of penicillin, the Sanatorium was shut down. Then, after about 15 years, in 1961 or 1965, the building where the legendary Sanatorium was once housed was bought by the Greek Tourism Organization (EOT), where it created the well-known hotel XENIA whose operation did not last for much longer. Thereafter, the Greek National Tourism Organization turned it into a school of tourist professions, where it worked until 1985.
Once it was an elevator
In 1999, the building suffered great damage from a huge earthquake and was considered dangerous, and in 2007 a major fire broke out and expanded into Sanatorium causing even more material damages.
The story of the building is great as you can see. All this instability and the damage the building suffered has created urban legends that make the building and its surrounding area haunted. Now it attracts people who are enchanted by the supernatural but also the nature lovers. As many photos have been taken from there, they leave you a sense of eerie and death. The building was sealed with bricks at its main entrances to prevent accidents, but eventually somebody knocked down the bricks. If you get into it, you will find items such as patient insertion books or books in which the consumables that they used since the time they functioned as a hospital and this is something really strange and maybe spooky.
![05082009592.jpg](https://steemitimages.com
Be aware of
Broken bricks entrance
Burned remnants of the patient book
In 2012, opposite the Sanatorium there was a small piece of land and the sculptor and forest worker of the Parnitha Forestry Center created the "Soul Park". He created the sculptures on tree trunks of burned wood from the fire that had burst and he tried to show with that way the feelings and pain experienced the patients. It's really a very powerful work that leaves you mixed feelings.
Soul Park
Article sources: http://www.eleftherostypos.gr/istories/43793-sta-adta-toy-parkou-ton-psyxon-kai-tou-stoixeiomenou-sanatoriou-stin-parnitha/
http://www.lifo.gr/team/greekicons/52219
https://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%A0%CE%AC%CF%81%CE%BD%CE%B7%CE%B8%CE%B1