Abandoned Moroccan Sanatorium Sparks Haunting Legends and Urban Exploration Risks

The Ben Smim tuberculosis sanatorium located in the Moroccan mountains has fallen into oblivion. Initially conceived by Maurice Bonjean, a wealthy Frenchman, the building was erected on an area of 161,874.25 m². It was one of the largest hospitals in the world. Its construction began in the 1940s. The medical facility opened its doors for the first time in 1955. The hospital was equipped with 400 beds. A team of four doctors and 32 nurses worked there. The facility welcomed people suffering from tuberculosis. Among them were patients who came from France.

Patients basked in the summer sun while admiring the splendor of the Atlas Mountains. At the time, sunlight was used to treat tuberculosis. Antibiotics had not yet been invented. Unfortunately, the sanatorium suddenly closed its doors in 1975. According to some, this closure is explained by the fact that the hospital had become a clandestine meeting place for conspirators plotting against King Hassan II. Others accuse the Moroccan Ministry of Health of mismanaging operations after taking over in 1965.

For 50 years, the facility has been left abandoned. Over the years, thieves and scavengers have taken advantage of it to strip its furniture and equipment. Recent images taken by a daring urban explorer show deserted rooms filled with old hospital furniture, connected by long strange corridors and spiral staircases. The windows are broken and the interior is empty. Some believe the sanatorium is haunted. Visitors are said to have died after mysterious accidents occurred on the site. The idea of renovating it was once mentioned, but nothing has been done so far.

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