Beelitz Sanatoriums - Germany

Driving South-West of Berlin, past Potsdam, there is one of the most visited site in Europe by photographers of abandoned places. Beauty and proportions justify the fame of Beelitz Sanatoriums. They're so famous that could be considerd a touristic attraction.

In 1898 a sanatorium was built in Beelitz, later developed on different phases, until the end of WWII.

Dozens of various edificies fill 200 hectars. The whole complex has been divided into four parts, cut by the railway from East to West, and by the main road to Beelitz from North to South.

Part of the North-West sector is heavily deacayed and more frequented. The one in the South-West is partly a residential area. In the North-East one the old sanatorium is now a beautiful clicnic and trainig course building, while in the South-West the property keeps the premises protected: They're still visible preferably asking a permit to the owner. Inside this last one ithere's a sort of a museum, an heating plant, and a 43 meter water tower. During the Thirties those plants could supply both electricity and vapour, an early example of district heating.

Sanatoriums were built in the Northern part, while premises to cure transmissable diseases are located to the South.

Males and females were split to opposite sides. The Eastern side was reserved to men, that's why the workshop and heating plants are found in the South-West , and agricutural premises or the laundry on the opposite. A church was demolished because of war damages.

Development phases could be identified during specific intervals:

1898-1902: construction times;
1905-1908: increase of beds, from 600 to 1200; heating plant;
1926-1930: site extension to 60 buildings, including the hospital for chirurgical treatments of TB and the laundry;
1942-1944: a new hospital.

During WWI and II it was used to recover injured soldiers. After the war, untill 1988, it became the biggest Russian military hospital outside Soviet Union. Since then projects on the area have been aimed at building rehabilitation centers and professional training for medical staff.

Sad to say, from 2000 onwards, the property went bankrupt and any project stopped. In the meantime decay progressively increased.

The new property is trying to protect what's left and, even if showing no hostility to photographers, ask for an email request before visiting the place, to assume responsibility entering the premises and accepting the relative risks.