Hey Steemanites! Today id like to share a more sinister urban exploring location. This time we visit the long since abandoned Luster Sanitarium, come join me!
In the far reaches of the largest fjord in Norway you find the small municipality of Luster. Looking up from the town you see a gigantic behemoth of a building towering the mountainside. The building spans 16,000 square feet and was described by locals as looking like a fairytale castle in its days of operation. The lage concrete structure is by far the largest building in the area.
The sanitarium was constructed to be used as a hospital for terminaly ill tuberculosis patients. The location was chosen due to the risk of contamination posed by the tuberculosis bactereum. The patiens where isolated from the outside world and moved to the mountain because it was belived the the fresh crisp air would lessen their symptoms. The sanitarium was accesible by a cable car.
The once modern thriving hospital has been left to the elements, the slow prosess of decay has long since taken its toll on the exterior and interior of the building. The building has been out of use for so long that it in a way functions as a time capsule. So i guess you are wondering what lies hidden inside the walls of the abandoned sanitarium? Here are a few of my favourite shots.
In 1958 the sanitarium was closed due to the recent discovery of antibiotics used to permanently cure tuberculosis. It was converted into an insane asylum. Most of the patients where displaced from their home town of Bergen due to a forced closure of the local asylum. The locals tell stories of doctors operating on patients for 12 hours straight without any from of anesthesia or pain medication.
Many patients tried to commit suicide due to their mental illness combined with inhumane treatment. They constructed a fence on the stairchase to prevent patients from jumping down to their death. It makes your stomach sink looking down the stairchase.
Accounts from locals tell us of the story of a three-and-a-half metre fence surrounding the courtyard with patiens beeing observed wandering aimlessly arround with their empty gazes focused on nothing but the ground before them. Entering the building you can feel suffering of the patients echo out of the cold stone walls. Visiting this place will stimulate congition and truly put things in perspective.
Today, the sanitarium is inhabited by to pepole working on rehabilitating the old structure. However, its fate is uncertain. The local government has proposed to demolish the building.
If you would like to visit the sanitarium you can find the address and coordinates below:
Coordinates: Latitude: 61.446645 | Longitude: 7.438431
Address: Harastølen, 6872 Luster
Thanks for reading to the end :)
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Also, check out my last post on the urban Sniper Tower:
https://steemit.com/travel/@mrperozzi/urban-exploring-sniper-tower-from-balkan-war
-Mrperozzi