Hôpital du Valdor
‘Hôpital du Valdor’ is located in Liège in the neighborhood of Amercœur. It was originally a hospice for the elderly and disabled. It was build in 1889 and abandoned in 1987. Today, it is reconverted and has become a modern hospital establishment, it remains specialized in geriatrics and rehabilitation.
During the 17th century, many poor patients were refused admission to the Liège hospitals. Pierre-Paul de Valdor cared for these people and therefore established a brotherhood that was inspired by Charles Borromeus. For this reason, he did build a guesthouse. The initial guesthouse did not appear to be adequate after a while. Eventually, a new hospital, Valdor, was built in 1898. The building has big halls, large corridors with high ceilings and uncountable doors. As can be seen, the neoclassical castle-like hospital has everything you need for a good thriller.
Reconvertion
In 1954 the guesthouse was divided into a retirement home and a hospital for the chronically ill. During 1967 a new building was put into use on the same site, and in 1987 the old buildings were abandoned.
Hôpital du Valdor stood empty for many years. After almost 20 years of abandonment, the place became a playground for young people and thieves. Many floors made of wood and tiles were stolen. The building was in very bad shape. Nature started to take over. Plants and even trees began to grow through the hospital walls.
In 2005, work began to demolish the old hospital. Luckily, the front of the building, including the beautiful old chapel, was saved. The historic facade was cleaned and restored. Behind this old wall, a brand-new hospital was built.
Modern hospital
Today, this modern hospital is open and working. It focuses on geriatrics and revalidation care. This means it helps older people and patients who need to recover after illness or surgery. The new hospital was built with care and respect for the past. The project even won the Public Prize at the Urban Planning Awards in 2007.
The hospital complex is now managed by Intercommunale de Soins Spécialisés de Liège. This group was created in 2008 after two older care organizations joined together. The 1969 hospital building, once part of the old site, changed into a retirement home. Ultimately, this building was also shut down and left to decay. You can find my report on Clinique Le Valdor here.
Hôpital du Valdor is a good example of how a lost place can be saved. I visited the abandoned hospital in 2005. At that time, it was one of the most famous places in the urban exploring scene. Walking through the empty halls was like stepping back in time.
