Sanatorio Lohner

Sanatorio Lohner* History

Nestled in a Swiss valley, a small sanatorium lies at about 3,770 feet above sea level and surrounded by beauty. The institution was constructed in 1905 as a private hospital to treat tuberculosis. The 5-story main building is symmetrical and decorated in Art Nouveau style; inside were 76 patient rooms, a breakfast room, a recreation room, sterilization rooms, and various offices. Two large verandas faced south towards the opposite side of the valley, and were used for heliotherapy (light therapy) and fresh air treatments. The main building is attached to a semicircular medical villa resting on supports, built in 1934. The facility also includes a doctor's residence, wash house, and staff house. In 1919 the government purchased the property for 470,000 francs and used the sanatorium as a military hospital until 1920. Tuberculosis treatment resumed until the gradual eradication of the disease reduced the number of patients - the hospital was eventually shuttered in 1962.

The doctor's residence is still being lived in, however the rest of the property has begun to deteriorate. Although the main building is in good condition for being closed for so long, it does require some rehabilitation work, while the laundry building is in very poor shape. The once-grand front lawn adorned with a large fountain is now a grazing field for a herd of goats.

* Note: the name "Sanatorio Lohner" is a pseudonym; the real name of this location is currently undisclosed.