This amazing hospital complex just outside Berlin is considered to be one of the absolute top locations by many European photographers and urban explorers. The huge buildings and the size of the area is quite overwhelming. This was my first trip outside Norway with sheer urbex photography in mind. I traveled with two other great guys and we did saw some cool places around Berlin.
Now back to the location. Beelitz-Heilstätten was built in 1898 as a tuberculosis sanatorium but turned into a military hospital in the beginning of World War 1 by the Imperial German Army. In October 1916 a young corporal called Adolph Hitler was sent here to be treated for an injury he got in the Battle of Somme. He even wrote about this stay in Mein Kampf.
After the end of World War 2, Beelitz-Heilstätten was occupied by Soviet forces. They left in 1995. There have been several attempts so continue the activity here, but in 2000 most of the buildings was abandoned.
The area looks quite like a ghost town with its 60 buildings. The area is huge, and we spent a whole day there photographing, but didn’t cover all the buildings. Some of the buildings are open to public and it’s quite vandalized. Other buildings are closed for public, but they were easy to enter as well. They were in a somewhat better shape.
I’m glad I have seen this place before it’s completely destroyed by all the people who want to see this fantastic place. I have uploaded some more artistic pictures from this trip on my flickr account.
The Mens Sanatorium
Terrace at the Mens Sanatorium
The famous stairs, angle 1
The famous stairs, angle 2
Wide angle corridor
There were a lot of corridors
Mens Gymnasium
Entrance to the Mens Sanatorium
A Beelitz-Heilstätten building
The morgue
The vandalized auditorium
The Bath building – main room with bath in the middle
The enatrance are to the bath with columns
Sideroom with bath tub and showers
Amazing entrance hall to the bath
Some sort of dancing halls on the top floor
Pipes in a maintenance room
Surgery building – an operation theater with lamp
Long corridor through the huge surgery building
The ruind – notice how trees grow on the roof
Corridor in the ruin
I have a lot of pictures, but I think this is enough. One last shot – Photographers at work:
ooooo,love it!!!
Så utrolig spennende! Blir litt mer enn Lier sykehus det der! Skal nedover i de traktene neste uke, men spørs om resten av familien vil bruke en hel dag der…
Fantastisk flott med vidvinkel!
Hi;
I just linked back to your site on today post on my blog, where I referred to shooting at Beelitz, while noting graffiti and vandalism free environment at Vockerode. Please let me know if you are ok with me linking back to your site via hyperlink here in the last sentence of the first paragraph:
http://www.jacquesgude.com/2010/07/19/its-all-under-control/
Many thanks! Love your write up and photos, by the way!
Jacgues
That is ok.
Kraftwerk Vockerode looks fantastic. And huge. I have to go back to Germany someday and shoot some of the other great abandoned locations around.
Great site you’ve got and amazing shots.
Hi,
I love your pictures, there fantastic!
Do you now if these bildings are still open fot viewers?
Could you pleas le me know?
with kind regard Marsha
I’m amazed by the aweness of those buildings.
All in your own country?
Anyways, I’ll be watching your blog. I just started my own urbex (and other photo.) blog and hope you’ll come and have a watch (and comment)
Cheers,
Nedewe
http://nedewe.wordpress.com/
Most posts are from Norway, but Beelitz-Heilstätten, Krampnitz and Soviet Clinic is from Germany and Famagusta is in Cyprus.
You have som really great shots on your blog! Cool places.
Awesome place, awesome pics! I was there and I did some photos: http://qbanez.wordpress.com/2011/08/25/278-beelitz/
Cheers!
I could look at these all day, great setting and photos