Explore #4 of the Wet, with excitement Tour

We made an early start on Day Two of our Italian mini-tour, intending to arrive at this location under cover of darkness. Unfortunately we then lost half an hour arguing with the idiot motel receptionist on check-out, who refused to accept that James had already paid for our room online in advance. Eventually we arrived at around 6am…

History
Founded in the 1870s this large asylum in a Northern Italian town was previously a charity hospital and then a military college. Covering an area of over 160,000 sq.m it had only two patients on its opening day, but rapidly grew to house thousands of patients.

The asylum closed in the early 1980s as part of nation-wide reforms brought about by the 1978 ‘Law 180’ which ordered the closure of all psychiatric hospitals, and their replacement with community-based alternatives. It has lain empty and abandoned ever since.

Our Explore
We were both so excited about this amazing location. For me with such excitement comes an equally powerful dose of nervousness beforehand that I might fail in gaining access, or get caught. It’s all part of the emotional reward of exploring such places.

As I found myself crawling on my stomach over pipes along a tiny hole in the bowels of a black and dusty basement at 6.30am on a bleak and rainy wintry Sunday morning I had one of those moments where you realise where you are and what you’re actually doing – it’s certainly a ‘niche’ hobby! It’s also probably not what any of my work colleagues would envisage I’d be up to when I said I was having a long-weekend break to Italy!

After a bit more crawling we had made it – we were in. 🙂

The asylum definitely lived up to our high expectations, and it ranks as one of my favourite explores yet. We spent the next 4-5 hours exploring, admiring, and photographing the corridors, treatment rooms, and doctors’ quarters…

As always, click on a photo to VIEW LARGE

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor window dark photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration Church of your choice crucifix chapel chair seat tv television photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
I used this shot in a recent exhibition, and call it ‘Church of Your Choice’ – the waiting area outside what I think may have been a small chapel. Which would you choose for distraction – the religion, or the ancient television in the corner?

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration clocktower clock face roof tower photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
A glimpse of an old clock, taken through a grille-covered window.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration window doctors quarters dark photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
The most decayed part of the asylum was down an almost pitch-black small corridor, off which the doctors’ relatively small and humble living quarters were housed…

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration doctors' quarters room photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration Blue Ruin Doctor Doctors doctor's room quarters lamp chair cabinet photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
‘Blue Ruin’

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration windows peeling paint colours overgrown nature takes over photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
There was peeling paint of various different colours throughout the asylum, often with ivy overgrowing and spilling inside…

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor doors window greenery overgrown nature takes over photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration blue green peeling paint corridor ivy photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration Backbone spine medical burned burnt bone human bones skeleton photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
In one small room I found these broken and burned remains of a human skeleton, which would presumably have been used for teaching and demonstration purposes.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration black blackened burned burnt corridor ceiling arches green greenery photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
More colour, peeling paint, grand architecture and decay – exploring heaven!

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration arches corridor ceiling globe light peeling paint walls photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor peeling photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration dentist chair operating photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
An old (dentist’s?) chair…

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration dentist dentist's chair medical photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration gynaecologist chair light medical doctor photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
…and a gynaecological examination chair and light.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration gynaecologist chair light medical doctor photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration gynaecologist chair light medical doctor photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration gynaecologist chair light medical doctor photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor dark peeling paint cracked crumbling photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
Another dark and grimy corridor…

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration split twin corridors corridor corner ground floor windows overgrown nature takes over leaves peeling paint photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
…and a much lighter corner of two ground-floor corridors.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration courtyard quad outside columns cloister cloisters overgrown trees overgrown overgrowth photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
Outside in the cloisters of an internal courtyard.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration gynaecologist chair tiles metal medical doctor photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime
In another room I found this stripped gynaecologist chair.

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor black orange peeling paint overgrown ivy leaves arches photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Manicomio di R Dr Rossetti Rosetti doctor Urbex Adam X Urban Exploration corridor black orange peeling paint overgrown ivy leaves arches photo photos report decay detail UE abandoned derelict unused empty disused decay decayed decaying grimy grime

Finally, hunger and fatigue got the better of us, and we made a quick exit and headed off to find some well-earned lunch.

Thanks for coming by – plenty more reports from my backlog coming soon!

Cheers
Adam X