In the far reaches of the largest fjord in Norway, perched on the side of a mountain is a 16,000 square foot castle overlooking the town of Luster. For all its fairytale appearance, when it operated as the Lyster Sanatorium, this was the place where many came to die.
The sanitarium was constructed in 1902, to be used as a hospital for terminally ill tuberculosis (TB) patients. The location was chosen due to the risk of contamination posed by the tuberculosis bacterium. The sanatorium was build to hold about 120 patients, and there was an average 2 patients for every employee, who also lived on the premises. The patients were isolated from the outside world, and moved to the mountain because it was believed the fresh, crisp air would lessen their symptoms.
