Alfacar – Former Hospital

“Sanatorio de la Alfaguara” is a former hospital for tuberculosis sicks located in Sierra de la Alfaguara, in the heart of the Sierra de Huétor Natural Park, just half an hour from the city of Granada. It is located in the area called Haza del Pinar (1,400 m. altitude) and is accessed by the GR-3103 road, once past the Alfaguara Camp.

The building was built in 1923 by the German businesswoman, educator and philanthropist Berta Wilhelmi (1858-1934), well known in Granada for helping the sick and disadvantaged children, as promoter of the first summer schools in the province (1889), of the first mixed school and popular library in Pinos Genil (1912), and also for being a pioneer in the fight for gender equality.

The former hospital (also known as Berta’s Hospital) had two floors and twenty-four beds, twelve for men and twelve for women. The furniture was donated by Queen Victoria Eugenia, president of the Spanish Red Cross. Most of the places offered were free and others with half board cost 3 pesetas. The facilities had consultation rooms, dressing rooms, general surgery rooms, otorhinolaryngology rooms, a terrace, rest gallery, steam heating, lightning rods, running water, kitchens and bathrooms.

The hospital worked until the Civil War and post-war under the direction of Helene Bickman Alterhoff. Due to the fact that one of the war fronts took place about 1,000 meters from the area where the building was located, it ended up abandoned and practically destroyed. It is currently in ruins, although in 2021 it was the subject of consolidation works on what remained of its structure and walls and for the protection of the original hydraulic floor.

The environment of the “Sanatorio de la Alfaguara” is a very quiet place, surrounded by family trails, which has impressive views over the high peaks of Sierra Nevada. It is an ideal location for the production of music videos and reports.