Exploring the Abandoned San Juan de Dios Hospital (Granada, Nicaragua)

Established in 1524, Granada is one of the oldest Spanish settlements in Nicaragua. It was quickly discovered that Granada’s location on Lago Cocibolca (Lake Nicaragua) would be a profitable one. Trade ships could easily navigate between the Atlantic Ocean and the lake using the San Juan River.

As what turned out to be one of the most important commercial port cities in Central America, Granada flourished. The city’s affluent colonial beginnings are evident in the grand architecture around the city. Most of the colonial buildings have been maintained or renovated to pristine, brightly coloured condition.

Though, there are others that lay in ruins.

One of those decaying buildings is the old San Juan de Dios Hospital. An abandon Granada landmark, referred to today as the Antiguo Hospital or Old Hospital, that locals often use as a reference when giving directions.

If you are looking for things to do in Granada, a visit to the Old Hospital is sure to be an interesting one.

History of San Juan de Dios Hospital

Spain's influence in Central and South America manifested itself in many ways. Generally, when I think of Spanish colonial architecture, I picture large, powerful cathedrals. So I was overwhelmed with curiosity at the prospect of exploring an abandoned colonial hospital.

I searched long and hard for more information about this hospital, but it is hard to come by. I did, however, find several articles about companies attempting to build the old hospital ruins into a modern hotel. As far as I could see, there hasn't been much progress on that, and I'm glad.

When construction was completed in 1905, San Juan de Dios looked as pristine as a colonial palace. The photo above was taken in 1898, the same year that Marie Curie discovered radium, but that's neither here nor there. As I was saying, 100 years later, the hospital would be abandoned.

So, about 15 years after the Old Hospital was closed, I arrived on the scene, and it was the start of a strange and intriguing afternoon. And, of course, the skies had to be an ominous and foreboding gray.

Inside San Juan de Dios Hospital

I entered through the front entrance to the faint sound of children laughing. The start of every good horror film, right?

Fortunately, it was only children playing football, making good use of the now derelict space.

I spent about an hour walking around the different spaces and rooms in what used to be a burgeoning hospital.

I even spent a little while walking around the second floor, which now merely serves as a vantage point for the rest of the grounds, a concrete roof of sorts.

It was wonderfully peculiar.

I was actively trying to relish the whole underlying strangeness of it all, because that, ultimately, was what intrigued me.

As I've been wont to do recently, I'll tell this story in pictures. I can only hope the pictures stir up a little emotion, as emotion was certainly present as I walked around the complex, especially all by my lonesome.

There is something about an abandoned building that forces us to imagine what was or what might have been.

Perhaps the weirdest part for me on this journey was walking around as I imagined doctors walking through the halls and nurses checking on patients. I couldn't help it.

It's simply amazing what the mind can conjure up with a little blank space to work with on the canvas.

Why Visit an Abandoned Old Hospital

It has always fascinated me as to what actually becomes a tourist destination or a place "worth visiting" in a city. I'm not sure that San Juan de Dios has a large tourist draw by any means, but it does function as a tourist attraction in Granada more than anything else.

There is a term for visiting places that really don't fall into the traditional tourism categories (ie. museums, famous landmarks etc). It’s called dark tourism. These destinations have a tourist draw precisely because of their troubled or dark history, such as Normandy or the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Where is the Old Hospital of Granada

The abandoned hospital of Granada is next to the city hall building on the corner of Calle La Libertad and Calle Elena Arellano. It’s a short walk or bike ride from many of the centrally located down town hostels and hotels in Granada.

Less than a mile away from the Old Hospital is the Central Park of Granada, Iglesia La Merced, Catredral de Granada, a chocolate museum, and many other must-see sights. Granada is a very walkable city. You could see all of these sites on foot in no time!

Plus, when you tour the city by foot you get the chance to see all the beautiful doors of Granada.