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Yvonne // A Portrait Session at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium

Yvonne walking through a doorway at the Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanitorium in Germany. Photography by Briana Morrison

One of the most amazing experiences I had while traveling in Europe last summer was when I visited the Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium with my friend Yvonne.

Exploring abandoned places is one of those secret pleasures that I don’t satiate often enough, inherently making this adventure beyond exciting. I geared up just like I would for a wedding, two cameras in tow and more film than I could possibly shoot in 6 short hours. I didn’t eat until the experience was over, relentlessly exploring every nook and cranny I could set eyes on. The best part about this “tour” is that they let us go and explore wherever we wanted without supervision or a hoard of other tourists getting in our way. They simply brought us on to the property, locked the gates, and told us to have at it for 6 hours.

It was amazing!!!

The Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium was build in 1902 and initially used as a tuberculosis ward for women and children. Between World War I and World War II Hohenlychen was used as a hospital for athletes during the 1936 summer Olympics and it eventually it became

one of the main medical facilities of the Schutzstaffel, where injured or convalescing SS men were treated.  Many preeminent SS doctors trained or were stationed at Hohenlychen, the most infamous being SS Sturmbannführer Doktor Karl Gebhart, who was sentenced to death for war crimes. (Wikipedia)

This beautiful old complex has such a dark and eerie past. I can’t imagine that it was any less beautiful and eerie in its prime.

This collection of images is just a small sample of the treasure I collected that day and I’m eager to go again. To the same place, to somewhere new… If you know of any beautiful abandoned places in the United States, in the Pacific Northwest in particular, I’d love to go exploring somewhere new!

If you’re totally into this stuff you can read more about the history of the Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium over on the Abandoned Berlin blog.

Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A woman outside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A woman outside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Decaying entrance to one of the Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium buildings in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A long hallway inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Polaroid portrait of a woman inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Empty indoor pool at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside an abandoned pool at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside an abandoned pool at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside an abandoned indoor pool at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside an abandoned pool at Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Polaroid portrait of a woman inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Polaroid portrait of a woman inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A broken window and beautiful light inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison
An old empty Jaegermeister bottle inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A long hallway inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Peeling yellow paint inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A woman looking out a window from inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A woman taking cell phone photographs inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

A woman looking through a doorway from inside the abandoned Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Polaroid of a portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Polaroid portrait of a woman inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

The decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Decaying paintings of children's fairytales inside of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Broken glass in the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman looking out a window from inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

An old stairway inside Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman taking photos from inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Portrait of a woman inside the decaying interior of Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

Heilstätten Hohenlychen Sanatorium in Lychen, Germany. Photographs by Berlin Portrait Photographer Briana Morrison

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