Csorba-tó / Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia /// 2017.03.13. @Ati @Kati RATING: ✪✪ DIFFICULTY: easy SIZE: 2 buildings, 4 stories

Attila Deák

11:00 3rd March 2020 Published by: Attila Deák

The Story
Videos
Location

When we were trekking from Csorba-tó to the higher mountains, we’ve parked our car on a dead-end road. After the tour, in the white dense fog, a building started to appear, so we headed to check it. It was such a nice surprise to find a huge sanatorium in the fog. You can imagine the mood based on the photos below. The middle part of the long sanatorium was already demolished, and because it was getting dark, we just visited the main building. We found a cinema at the lower levels. Someone already started to renovate the hotel.

Csorba-tó / Štrbské Pleso, Slovakia /// 2017.03.13. @Ati @Kati RATING: ✪✪ DIFFICULTY: easy SIZE: 2 buildings, 4 stories

Attila Deák

11:00 3rd March 2020 Published by: Attila Deák

The Story
Videos
Location

When we were trekking from Csorba-tó to the higher mountains, we’ve parked our car on a dead-end road. After the tour, in the white dense fog, a building started to appear, so we headed to check it. It was such a nice surprise to find a huge sanatorium in the fog. You can imagine the mood based on the photos below. The middle part of the long sanatorium was already demolished, and because it was getting dark, we just visited the main building. We found a cinema at the lower levels. Someone already started to renovate the hotel.

LOCATION

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Approximate location:

THE STORY

The background story of the highest spa in the Tatra

The famous Helios Sanatorium, which was in its heyday during socialism, has been hurting the eyes of visitors for years in one of the most popular tourist centers in the High Tatras, at Csórba-tó in Hungarian, or Štrbské Pleso in Slovakian language. Once it was a national health center specialized in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Recently, a company called J&T was planning the reconstruction, but due to the economic crisis of 2008, none of the plans turned out. Nevertheless, renewal is still conceivable, with promises that modern ruined buildings will have a modern health center in three years. The sight is especially painful for those who have been previously treated in this legendary sanatorium due to their illness. Among the ruins of the sanatorium, another treatment is awaited in vain. Helios Sanatorium used to be a national healing center specializing in the treatment of respiratory diseases, where not only domestic but also foreign patients were treated.

Here is the story what we’ve found:

The Helios Sanatorium, which used to be a state spa hotel specializing in the treatment of respiratory diseases, is easily accessible by paved roads from the center of Csorba-tó. The building was opened in 1976 and was later acquired by the J&T investor group, together with the spa town of Hviezdoslav, which rebuilt the former, which now operates as a five-star hotel. Unlike other spa houses in the Tatras, the history of Helios is not so rich. The sanatorium was opened with the aim of expanding the spa possibilities of Štrbské Pleso. The complex initially offered accommodation in 128 rooms, providing a total of 250 beds. The device specialized in the treatment of asthma and other respiratory diseases. Helios offered two-star hotel services. And attracted to two pools, wellness and fitness studio or cinema. The advantage of the facility was its capacity, which made it possible to organize various trainings or congresses. Finally, the capacity of beds has steadily increased to over 400 beds. 

Sanatorium Helios was designed by Slovak architect Richard Pastor in 1966. The sanatorium is located in Strbske Pleso, Slovakia.

The four-storey building is well incorporated into the environment. It’s partially embedded in the hillside and has a distinct contoured plan. Part of the adults (200 beds) and the children’s (150 beds) are separated by a centrally positioned social and examination equipment. Dining rooms are on the top floor. The children’s part was designed with a department of preschoolers and classrooms. All rooms are oriented exclusively to the south. The asthma institute is constructed as a combination of monolithic reinforced concrete frames and brick support system. Thanks to the simple and impressive architectural design the sanatorium won the Dusan Jurkovic Price in 1977 selected by the Union of Slovak Architects.

It was Helios who maintained the spa character of Štrbské Pleso after 1989. And the transformation into a joint-stock company did not change anything. Even in the 1990s, Helios was a spa center, which in addition to medical and hotel services also served a social function. The area was the seat of the highest nursery in Slovakia. The year 2004 was a key factor in the future direction of the complex. At the beginning of the summer, Bluecorp became the majority owner of the Spa Strbske Pleso, which was supported by J&T.

Its current position is very modest for the history of the Helios Spa House. It is hidden from thousands of visitors to Štrbské Pleso. Just turn right on the way to the ski jumps. The highest climatic healing house in Slovakia is hidden behind the trees. And maybe it’s good that the trees cover him. The sanatorium, which also served as a hotel, has become the largest Tatra ruin in the last ten years. We follow it’s fate in the next part of the Tatra real estate booths. Construction work was scheduled to begin in February 2007, with completion scheduled for the end of 2008. However, the deadlines were not met. In the coming months, the plans are reviewed and the project is redrawn. Talking about the three-star hotel and the apartment part of the complex, which will be available for sale…

Articles:

The story in Hugarian language:

The story in Slovakian language:

VIDEOS

Videos from Youtube:

Strbske pleso – Opustene sanatorium Helios

Strbske pleso – Navrat do Opusteneho sanatoria Helios – Ivan Donoval – 2016

Štrbské pleso – Vysoké tatry – Opustené Sanatórium Helios – Dávid Urbex

Sanatórium Helios – Štrbské Pleso – [URBAN REMAINS #5 ] – Tomáš Vyoral

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