A Belgian psychiatric hospital ***IMAGE INTENSIVE***

[TeeJF]

We dropped by this great little place on the way to our Maginot Line explores last week. It's an odd site because quite a lot of it is still active, albeit as nothing to do with psychiatric care any longer. From research it appears that there is now only one ward pavilion on the site that is still active, all the rest stand empty and mouldering, or have been rented out to small businesses etc. It was not clear from casual inspection but I think some of the smaller buildings have been converted into domestic housing too.

I'm not going into much detail on the place because it would be far to easy to work out what and where it is, so apologies for the somewhat cursory history.

Point to note, and I've added this retrospectively which frankly is inexcusable - so a huge apology for my lack of manners - to the peeps who helped make this possible for us to explore a HUGE THANK YOU - you know who you are!

The photographs...​

The buildings are all a lovely orangey red brick with yellow brick embellishments.

Each ward 'pavilion' appears to have been for one specific gender or age group. Clearly this was for geriatric patients.

A day room within the geriatric pavilion.

Old furniture has been stock piled in this building and then moved around by 'visitors'.

Evidence that the building may have a junkie infestation?

Shameless self portrait!

One of many bathrooms on the ground floor.

An interesting mix - ether, castor oil, one unknown and a 'dopamine antagonist'.

Dear oh dear!

The last patient left his or her shoes by the side of the bed.

Soft toys appear to be a common sight in elderly care institutions.

Ready to go?

Belgian stair porn!

A very wet day!

Religious iconography.

Time for the next building methinx!

Despite the literal translation being 'kinietic' it's not clear what it means in this situation.

Stained glass is everywhere on this site.

Time to get your ironing done...

An ancient word processor?

Evidence that this pavilion was used for child care.

And here's one of the big kids...

Chair!

Almost but not quite art deco.

Abandoned at the foot of the stairs.

Linen trolley.

Colourful bible stories for the children.

We call this picture 'The Throne Room'...

Back lit curtains give a crazy mess of colour to the room.

Yet more stained glass.

Ha ha! You had us going there for a moment!

Is this chair for a severely disabled child in view of the shaped back support?

If music be the fruit of life I'll have a banana...

I wonder what's beyond that ever so inviting door?

OK...

Time to go...

​

And that's all for now folks. Hope you enjoyed the pix. Thanks for looking.​

 

[Priority 7]

Superb T & T lovely images and a really nice looking explore...

 

[perjury saint]

Bloody hell! VERY nice that!! Its got the lot eh!!
Crackin pics...

 

[flyboys90]

Some beautiful stained glass especially the throne room,thanks for sharing.

 

[abel101]

always count on you guys to do an excellent report with brilliant pictures to match!

A stunning building aswel!

 

[TeeJF]

Very kind of you guys to say! Thank you very much fellas.

 

[bigtip]

nice

Great photos as always you do get about abit don't you always interesting your posts thanks.

 

[UEP-Wales]

Stunning report both of you, looks like a great place with lots left behind to photograph!

Cheers for posting them up!

 

[night crawler]

Love it great report like we always get from you and some wonderful photo's too

 

[UE-OMJ]

I wish ours were like that.

Awesome, I'd have loved to have been there with you guys...

 

[TeeJF]

Thanks guys, very kind of you all to be so positive.

Awesome, I'd have loved to have been there with you guys...

Next time?

 

[daimo_45]

Fav thread of the year so far!

 

[a_little_feisty]

Wow . . . just . . . WOW!!!

 

[cuboard]

Really impressive place love the morgue slab and that crazy wheelchair !

 

[DamnedBuster]

I hope you can forgive me but this is truly inspiring, your photographs are astounding and the detailed information is a 'must read'.
May I ask why you are reluctant to 'name' the site?

 

[Pen15]

Top Notch Sir !!!

That is one special place for sure. Its sad to think that if it was in the UK it wouldnt look like quite like that. It says alot for our society.

Great report and great images too

 

[_Nyx_]

What a place ! Very very nice report indeed !

 

[jjstenso]

Doesn't look like its changed much since last year, apart from they've removed a lot of boarding from the windows.

Kine means Cinema.

 

[sonyes]

Jealous, much!!!!!!

Stunning!! Definitely has everything, lots of personal belongings and props make fantastic pics!!! Great report.

 

[TeeJF]

Thank you all for such lovely and positive comments!

I hope you can forgive me but this is truly inspiring, your photographs are astounding and the detailed information is a 'must read'.
May I ask why you are reluctant to 'name' the site?

Thank you so very much for your kind words.

I'm reluctant to name the site (and sadly it means much of the detailed history I can't relate) is because lately certain undesirable elements have begun to make a nuisance of themselves in the urbex fraternity. Sites have been found stripped of anythuing of any worth within days of reports appearing in a certain forum and it's clear that members of that forum trawl this and other sites looking for access info. And even when a site may not have anything of worth for your average metal or artifact thief there's still other things happening which we need to guard against - the sticking up of those new fangled square barcode thingies for one thing and spray paint tagging and even random acts of vandalism.

Frankly it's sickening because I love sharing history on sites but I think that is going to become ever more a thing of the past.

That is one special place for sure. Its sad to think that if it was in the UK it wouldnt look like quite like that. It says alot for our society.

Amen to that. It appalls me at times. Mind you, the amount of human faeces and used needles all over the place in one of those buildings shows that whilst it may not be random acts of vandalism that are the problem over there they still have problems of their own.

Kine means Cinema.

We initially thouight that too but the literal translation from Dutch is "kinetic" so I can't see how that applies to a cinema. Neither could we see any evidence adjacent to that sign of there being a cinema even in that building.