Built in 1899

Visited on 04 2011 

On 11 November 1899, the family Louis Schlutter, started this hospital. You can still find the name of the founder on the building. The site was enlarged in 1927, several service buildings were added. The hospital served as a military hospital during World War II and after 1945 as a sanatorium of the Soviet occupation. Since 1990 the buildings became abandoned.

Built in 1898

Abandoned in 1994

Visited on 04 2011

This hotel was a luxury hotel in the DDR times. Russian officers were reported to have lived quite extravagantly in the complex after the WW II. Due to its proximity to the East/West German border, the hotel could only be visited by permit, and all guests had to wear ID tags at all times – however the Heinrich Heine continued to be quite popular, and rooms were often sold out, typically by government officials and wealthy businessmen.

After the reunification of Germany in 1990, the high-class guests, as well as the DDR parent company’s funds, vanished into thin air. The resort limped through the next few years operating as a Travel Hotel until 1994, when it was finally closed for good. The hotel was sold at an auction in 2007 for EUR 43,000.00. Nothing happened since.

Built in 1890

Abandoned in 1989

Visited on 04 2011

This Erholungsheim was built in the late 1800′s as a sanatorium, in DDR times used as a vacation home. It was closed in 1989 and maintained until 1993. Without the care the forces of nature had its way. Local youth strarted fires, leaving behind a trail of destruction. The building will probably be demolished.

Built in 1858

Abandoned in 1985

Visited in 04 2011

The oldest part of this castle was built in 1858. In 1878 another wing was added. All these years the place belonged to a wealthy family. Surrounding the castle was a big and beautiful garden.

After WW II the castle was taken by the English army. Later Schloss Olderhaus was used as a sanatorium for lung patients; it was a hospital until the beginning of the seventies. From 1975 to 1985 it was used as a home for disabled persons.

The building was left abandoned in 1985. The castle is in private property but nobody lived there ever since. Today it is becoming more and more a ruin. The building is not protected anymore, so it will probably be demolished, or it will demolish itself.

Built in 1957

Abandoned in 1993

Visited in 04 2011

This military hospital was one of formerly fifteen German military hospitals. The hospital was in use from 1957 to 1993. It was closed because of the troop reduction, several hospitals were merged and buildings were closed.

Today a small part of the buildings are still in use by the military medical services. Most of the buildings are abandoned; plans for new usage were never accomplished. At regular basis the buildings are used by police, army or fire brigade as practice area.

Built in 1916

Abandoned in 1981

Demolition started in 2010

Visited in 01 2011

This is an abandoned potato-starch factory. The Dutch potato-starch industry grew rapidly in the mid-nineteenth century. Potato-starch is starch extracted from potatoes. The cells of the root tubers of the potato plant contain starch grains. To extract the starch, the potatoes are crushed; the starch grains are released from the destroyed cells. The starch is then washed out and dried to powder.

Most starch manufacturers were, and are found in the Dutch provinces of Groningen and Drenthe, mainly surrounding the Peat Districts where many potatoes were grown.

After 65 years the factory closed down. Several companies were housed in these buildings until 1996. In 2010 demolition started.

Built in 1911

Abandoned in 1997

Visited in 01 2011

Karl von Müller was Captain of the famous German commerce raider, the light cruiser SMS Emden during World War I. This old abandoned military site was named after him.

The site was until 1997 in use by the “ABC-Abwehrbataillon 110 der Bundeswehr” a division specialized in protection against nuclear and biologic weapons. In the early days, just after WWI Emden was the base for the “Bataillon des Fuß-Artillerie Regiments Nr.2”, the ground troops of the German army.

Built in 1903 + 1946

Abandoned in 2008

Demolished in 2011

Visited on 01 2011

This clinic was built just after WW II around the already existing castle Hof Van Delft, built in 1903 by architect Leonard Blomme. The site was bought in 1945 and they started building the clinic in 1946. It took two years to complete the building.

In 1987 the maternity wing closed down. In 2000 the hospital closed, the buildings were used as a home for asylum seekers. 125 refugees found a home in the old clinic.

The buildings were abandoned in 2010. Within a year the buildings were in such a bad state they had to be demolished. Local youth and unwanted visitors trashed the place completely and even set fire to it several times. In the summer of 2011 the building was demolished.

Built in 1928

Abandoned in 2005

Reconverted in 2012

Visited in 01 2011

This abandoned convent of the Passionists was built on the grounds of an old castle. The Passionists or the Congregation of the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ are a Roman Catholic religious order founded by Saint Paul of the Cross.

The Passionists are still an active religious family, but they left these buildings in 2005. The site is now reconverted to a police station.

Built in 1979

Abandoned in 2008

Visited in 01 2011

Aflex is a company producing PVC pipes and fittings. It started as a small local business 30 years ago and grew to a big national company. Because the buildings became too small they left this site to another bigger one.

Visited in 06 2010

This is a disused hyperboloid cooling tower in the Wallon region of Belgium. The tower was part of an big industrial site with a steel plant, a cokes factory and a power station. The tower was used to transfer process waste heat to the atmosphere.

Built in 1960s

On stand-by since 2009

Visited on 06 2010

In 2009 this blast furnace was shut down because of the bad economy. A blast furnace is a type of metallurgical furnace used for smelting to produce industrial metals, generally iron. The iron and steel that was produced at this plant was mainly for the car industry, that almost collapsed in 2008.

The site is still on stand-by, but there or no new plans for restarting the blast furnace.

Built in 1975

Abandoned in 2008

Visited in 06 2010

These photos are taken in a disused power station on site of a steel plant in Belgium. The factory closed its doors because of the bad economy. Without the factory there is no need for extra power, so also this plant was shut down some years ago. Waiting for better times?

Thanks to N

Built in 1920

Visited on 05 2010

Just outside a very old Italian village there is this site, first used in 1772 as a mill near the river that runs near the village.

In 1920 the site was used by a comb mill. The water-powered forge or wire mill manufactured metal wire combs for use in the textile industry. In 1950 the mill was transformed to a paper factory.

The factory is abandoned for some time, the big machines are gone but in the chemical storage room you can still find the old chemicals that were used to make and bleach paper.

Built in 1986

Abandoned in 2000

Visited 05 2010

Founded in 1886, the factory was taken over by Italcementi company in 1921. In 1939 this factory produced 167 tons a year. After the rebuilt in the late 40s, this unit employed 250 workers and produced Portland and Pozzolan cement.

Cement production ceased at the end of 70s, while grind operations continued until a few years ago.