Abandoned leper colony

In the 1930s-1940s leprosy was considered a serious problem on the Canary Islands. At the time it was believed that a quarantined isolation in an arid, temperate climate was the most appropriate solution. The first Tenerife leprosy station was built in the north of the island, where most of the local population lived. The bodies were thrown in the sea outside Santa Cruz until a crematorium was built. In 1943 the construction of a whole leprosy colony named “Sanatorio de Abona” started in the south, on the hill above Abades. The location was attractive, isolated and conveniently hidden from the public eye. The complex included 40 buildings: many bungalows, an administration’s building, a hospital, a crematorium, and a church. As grand as it was, the project was never finished as leprosy was almost eradicated with the invention of a new and effective drug. The unfinished leprosy complex near Abades became a military training facility or the “Escuela de Magisterio”. Until 2002 it was actively used for target practice and urban warfare training. In 2002 the place was sold to italians who wanted to build a seaside resort and a golf course here, but the project never got approved. In 2008 the property was used as a filming location for several scenes of the “Plan América” Spanish series by TVE.

And so the ghost town remains - peaceful and spooky, slowly decaying in the wind. Occasionally visited by paintballers, graffiti artists and curious tourists.

Photo: Wusel007, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sanatorio_de_Abona_LP_Church.JPG

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