Photographed February 2000 / Spring 2001

 

Imagine a rainy, windy Sunday night in autumn. You're driving on the "waversesteenweg" (Tombeek, Belgium). Too fast, but who cares, it's only you ... and that tree ... and that spot of oil in the turn. Tires screech!

The horn of the car wakes you up, you're the only one to hear it, you're in the middle of nowhere. A headlight illuminates a hospital sign, through the steam rising up from the radiator, just 20 meters ahead.

 

You crawl with immense effort, towards the sign, on one knee (the other one is still in the car) and struggle up the steep winding road. It's covered with wet leaves, it's dark, and you're in the woods. After 50 meters, you pass a gate. There is a wheelchair waiting for you. You sit in it,but the tires have disintegrated and the axles are corroded. You decide to continue crawling. After a steep 200 meter scramble you discover a huge building! This must be the hospital. Yes, but you're out of luck. The hospital has been abandoned for over 20 years now. It was only for TB(C)-patients anyway.

OK, I made this story up. My actual visit was on a sunny Sunday afternoon!

 

Welcome to the "Institut J. Lemaire" in Tombeek ... a haunted place

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The hospital inside

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