Ospedale al Mare, Lido di Venezia ….

…a sprawling, neglected and atmospherically crumbling old hospital complex, full of tempting photo opportunities that I never tempered to resist…

The Ospedale al Mare, translating to "Hospital of the Sea," is a historic building located on the Lido Island in Venice, Italy. Its story begins in June 1868, when Bellarai Joseph, the founder of the first hospice along coastal Italy, organized a conference in Venice focusing on tuberculosis and its impact on underprivileged children​​. The hospital officially opened in the same year, primarily serving as a tuberculosis treatment centre. It was notable for offering alternative treatments like heliotherapy and hydrotherapy, which were particularly well-suited to its beachside location​​.

For over seventy years, the Ospedale al Mare served the Lido community, standing out as an innovative healthcare center. It was unique in its approach, being the only tuberculosis treatment center in the world to offer a combination of hydrotherapy, heliotherapy, beach access, and operas as part of its treatment regimen​​. Initially, the Hospice Marino Veneto, built to care for at least 200 children at a time, was part of this healthcare initiative. However, as the tourist culture of Lido Island grew and the hospital needed expansion, it became socially unacceptable and unsuitable to continue in its existing form​​.

The hospital underwent expansion and in 1933 was rebuilt on Lido, eventually growing to accommodate up to 1500 patients and staff. Unfortunately, by the 1970s, the condition of the hospital began to deteriorate, leading to the closure of various wards​​.

Today, the Ospedale al Mare stands as a significant, albeit abandoned, part of Venice's architectural and medical history, reflecting an era of alternative medical thoughts and practices.