Three abandoned hospitals and healthcare facilities in Lombardy
Lombardy preserves numerous abandoned healthcare facilities that tell an important part of the region's medical and social history.
In this article we discover three particularly significant places for those interested in Urbex and health archaeology.
.
In this article
Former Guido Salvini Sanatorium – Garbagnate Milanese
The former Guido Salvini Sanatorium in Garbagnate Milanese is one of the most interesting abandoned healthcare facilities in the Milan area. Built in the 20th century as a tuberculosis treatment facility, the complex included buildings, wards, rooms, service areas, and a large green area.
The value of the facility is not only linked to its medical history. The complex also represents an interesting example of medical archaeology and architecture of the period, with a unique relationship between the buildings and the surrounding green spaces. Sources dedicated to the sanatorium's history today describe the buildings and areas of the complex as severely dilapidated and long unused.
For Urbex enthusiasts, the place is interesting above all for the opportunity to observe how a large healthcare facility has been progressively reclaimed from degradation and vegetation.
It is important, however, to distinguish historical and photographic interest from accessibility: the state of abandonment does not mean that the area is freely accessible.
Eugenio Morelli Sanatorium Village – Sondalo
Going up towards Alta Valtellina we find a structure completely different in size and context: the Eugenio Morelli Sanatorium Village in Sondalo, in the province of Sondrio.
The complex was built in the 1930s to treat tuberculosis. Construction began in 1932, and the project eventually encompassed numerous pavilions, conceived within a true health village nestled in the mountain landscape. The Policlinico di Milano describes it as the largest European institution built for the treatment of tuberculosis.
The uniqueness of the Morelli Hospital lies precisely in the relationship between medicine, architecture, and the environment. Patients were housed in a facility designed to take into account the climatic conditions and the mountain's exposure. The complex was built between 1932 and the postwar period and became one of Italy's most important tuberculosis treatment centers.
Today, Villaggio Morelli maintains enormous historical and architectural interest. However, it's crucial not to confuse it with a simple "abandoned hospital": the health complex served and continues to serve a hospital purpose, so its various areas shouldn't be automatically considered accessible.
Former Mombello Psychiatric Hospital – Limbiate
Among the historic healthcare facilities in Lombardy, Mombello is probably the one with the most complex history.
The former Mombello Psychiatric Hospital, in the Limbiate area, was founded in the 19th century within the Villa Pusterla-Crivelli. In 1866, the villa served as a branch of the Milanese Senavra mental hospital; in 1878, Mombello became the sole mental hospital in the Province of Milan.
Over time, the complex transformed into a vast structure, composed of numerous pavilions and services. Its layout resembled a small village, with green spaces, laboratories, and facilities dedicated to the daily life of the inmates. By the 1930s, it had grown to accommodate thousands of people.
Mombello's history is particularly significant because it reflects the evolution of Italian psychiatry and the transition from the asylum system to the progressive closure of psychiatric hospitals. The Mombello psychiatric institution ceased its activity during the second half of the twentieth century, while some facilities continued to be used for other purposes.
Today, Mombello has become one of the most famous places in Lombardy's urban scene, but its fame should not obscure the real history of the people who lived within the structure.
Why are abandoned hospitals so interesting in Urbex?
Former hospitals, sanatoriums, and mental institutions have a feature that makes them particularly interesting compared to many other abandoned structures: they tell not only the story of the building, but also that of the people who used it.
Corridors, rooms, service rooms, pavilions, and common areas can become material testimonies to the evolution of medicine and the transformations of society.
This heritage is particularly significant in Lombardy. The region was home to large tuberculosis facilities, psychiatric hospitals, mountain sanatoriums, and health complexes built during the twentieth century.
For this reason, Urbex can also become a way to approach healthcare archaeology: not just photographing an empty building, but trying to understand its history.
Conclusions
Lombardy's former hospitals represent one of the most interesting categories of urban exploration. The Guido Salvini Sanatorium, the Morelli Sanatorium Village, and the former Mombello Psychiatric Hospital are three very different examples, yet they share a strong historical and architectural identity.
Their interest doesn't just depend on their current state: knowing the history of these places allows us to understand why they became important and what they still represent for the area today.
As with any Urbex location, it's important to remember that an abandoned building doesn't necessarily mean it's accessible. Before exploring, it's important to check the property's status and any necessary permits, and avoid entering private or restricted areas.
Note: Abandoned buildings do not mean they are freely accessible. Some of the structures cited are fenced off, unsafe, private, or under conservation. This article is for informational and historical purposes only and does not provide guidance on unauthorized access.
Comments