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I traveled to northern Italy in the summer of 2018. A summer road trip filled with awesome memories. I zig-zagged across the country, following our map chaotically littered with pins. Each pin highlighted abandoned places.

I arrived at one pin late in the afternoon, perhaps a little too late. I was too excited to wait, so I crawled in through to a tiny opening as soon as we saw the haunted place.

I was standing at the entrance of an old Italian mental asylum. These relics are from a darker time where mental health was poorly understood. The patients were called "mentecatti", a derogatory term equating to "half-wit" or "imbecile". They were locked up in these rural hospitals called "manicomio", which translates as "madhouse". Out of sight, and out of mind.

I was not alone though, I had two friends with me on this urban exploration trip. As the daylight was beginning to fade, we all split up and began shooting.

Time was of the essence! The abandoned house was a maze of corridors and had several floors. I searched frantically to find all the important locations; the examination room, record office, the body slab, and so on.

I traveled the halls and corridors of this haunted house alone checking every room and corner. Taking these creepy photos, constantly aware of the darkness encroaching.

We re-convened at the entry point, just as the last of the light faded.

More info: obsidianurbexphotography.com

#1

Administration Office

Administration Office

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PeachPossum
Community Member
5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Would hate to think those papers on the floor are the medical records of the patients.

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    #2

    Long Dark Corridor

    Long Dark Corridor

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    #3

    Another Long Corridor

    Another Long Corridor

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    Jeff Requier
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Hospitals have a lot of corridors, this one is all windows

    #4

    Wrought-Iron Stairs

    Wrought-Iron Stairs

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    TUBLOVER3
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'll bet the building itself was beautiful when first finished.

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    #5

    Corridor With Peeling Paint

    Corridor With Peeling Paint

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    IT'S THE SWEET ONE
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is beautiful and terrifying at the same time. Thank you for showing us your amazing photographs!

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    #6

    Examination Room

    Examination Room

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    Evil Little Thing
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's actually not an examination room, but a surgical suite. See how the doors swing so that people scrubbed in can bump them open? And the two bell jars on the right were used to create a vacuum for suctioning up leaky blood. The operating table is adjustable and has armrests. The cart to the left looks like an anesthesia rig, but I don't think they had isofluorane then, so it might be a machine for electroconvulsive therapy. Yeah, I bet that was for shock treatment!

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    #7

    Beautiful Stairs

    Beautiful Stairs

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    #8

    Gymnasium With Equipment

    Gymnasium With Equipment

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    #9

    Long Corridor With Nature Taking Over

    Long Corridor With Nature Taking Over

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    #10

    The Body Slab

    The Body Slab

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    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Apparently, this is an "inversion table" for treating back pain. Or, it could be a body slab....will we ever truly know!

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    #13

    Entrance Hall

    Entrance Hall

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    Jessica Temple
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This building is fantastic. oh but if the walls could talk...

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    #14

    Dentist Office With Equipmen

    Dentist Office With Equipmen

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