VERCELLI ASYLUM

The Abandoned Vercelli Asylum: A Journey Through History, Dark Secrets, and Legends

The Vercelli Psychiatric Hospital stands as one of the most imposing abandoned complexes in Europe. This giant of concrete and brick is more than just an industrial ruin; it is a place that holds a century of suffering, medical innovation, and dark secrets.

19th-Century Roots and the Birth of a Hospital City

The origins of the facility date back to the 19th century. By 1874, the city already managed a center for approximately 150 patients. However, the surge in admissions forced authorities to design a radically different structure capable of meeting the demands of modern psychiatry.

Between 1928 and 1937, the construction site gave life to the “hospital village” we see today. Engineer Luigi Martina designed the project, drawing inspiration from cutting-edge European models, while Engineer Eugenio Cadorna oversaw the final construction. The result was a true “city within a city,” spanning 28 hectares.

Architecture Designed for Control and Care

The complex included 20 pavilions surrounded by greenery. The designers included a church, a theater, a library, a gym, and even a dedicated area for children. The primary goal was to create a totally self-sufficient environment.

However, daily life followed strict rules and inflexible schedules. Doctors divided patients based on gender and the severity of their pathology. Days passed between recreational activities and so-called “ergotherapy,” as work played a central role in the rehabilitation process.

The Shadow of War: The 1945 Massacre

The asylum walls did not only house the mentally ill; they also became the stage for one of the most dramatic episodes in local history. In May 1945, immediately after the end of World War II, a group of partisans summarily executed 47 fascists, including the Prefect of Vercelli, inside the facility.

This event, known as the Massacre of the Vercelli Psychiatric Hospital, deeply scarred the collective memory of the city. War violence penetrated a place already burdened by suffering, making the complex a symbol of historical wounds that have never fully healed.

From Rudimentary Therapies to Final Closure

For decades, medical staff used therapies that we would define as brutal today. Methods such as hydrotherapy, insulin therapy, and electroshock constituted the clinical practice of the time. These treatments reflected a psychiatric era that often struggled to find effective solutions for mental distress.

The turning point came in 1978 with the Basaglia Law. This new legislation mandated the gradual closure of large psychiatric hospitals. Authorities transferred patients to smaller, more humane facilities, marking the final abandonment of the main building and the beginning of its slow decay.

The Charm of Mystery and Ghost Legends

Today, the former asylum appears as a ghost town, where wild vegetation reclaims the ruined pavilions. This scenery has fueled numerous paranormal legends over the years. Many visitors report sightings of a “girl in white” wandering silently through the corridors.

Further testimonies speak of a ghost doctor—a spirit in a white coat who seems professionally tied to the site. Some urban explorers even report faceless figures walking aimlessly among the rubble. Regardless of personal beliefs, these stories make the complex a prime destination for mystery lovers and Urbex enthusiasts.

An Uncertain Future for a Monument of Memory

Currently, the debate over the asylum’s fate remains open. Some citizens ask to preserve the pavilions, the library, and the church as historical testimony. Others hope for a modern redevelopment to breathe new life into the area.

Beyond its uncertain destiny, the psychiatric hospital remains a symbol of the history of psychiatry in Italy. Its ruins continue to tell stories of marginalization and hope, reminding us of a past that we cannot and must not forget.

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