Sanatorium Paul Spillmann
THE ABANDONED HOSPITAL IN FRANCE
‘Sanatorium Paul Spillmann’ is an abandoned health center in Lay-Saint-Christophe, 7 kilometers from Nancy, France. After 100 years it was abandoned.
This sanatorium was built for professor Paul Spillmann by french architects Ferdinand Genay and Weissemburger. Works were started in October 1900 and the sanatorium was completed in July 1902. It had a capacity for 30 patients. By the end of the 19th century, tuberculosis was still a terrifying illness. Without antibiotics, which were only developed many years later, doctors recommended rest, fresh air, and sunlight to their patients. As a result, numerous facilities were built outside urban areas at higher elevations to take advantage of optimal sunlight exposure and avoid dampness. The Lay-Saint-Christophe Sanatorium was constructed with these same principles in mind. Located on a hill 250 meters above sea level, it offered a picturesque view of the Meurthe valley, away from the unhealthy mists and industrial pollution. Surrounded by nature, the sanatorium featured large windows and balcony-terraces to bask in the healing sunlight.
A few years after the inauguration, the building was enlarged, thanks to a donation from a wealthy sponsor. As a result, the new hospital now could take care of male and female patients, with in total 50 beds. Shortly after the death of founder Dr. Paul Spillmann in 1914, the sanatorium was named after him.
World wars
During the First World War, the building was very damaged. The sanatorium was not only restored, but also enlarged, so it could house 130 beds. For this reason, the works to restore the buildings took several years. On January 15, 1924, the work was finally completed, the Sanatorium was able to open its doors and resume its activities, which continued even during the difficult years of the Second World War. The building went under extensive renovation work during 1951, when many of the Art Nouveau features were removed.
Since the beginning of March 2006, the services were being transferred to a bigger hospital. I visited the building in 2013.
