Gebäude auf dem Sand, University building in Tübingen, Germany
Gebäude auf dem Sand is a university building in Tübingen situated on elevated ground with large windows and decorated entrance portals featuring flat relief sculptures depicting medical scenes. The complex now accommodates multiple university departments including the Wilhelm-Schickard Institute, astronomy, and criminology across its various sections.
The building opened in February 1940 as a military hospital for the German Wehrmacht, then served as a French military hospital called Émile Roux until 1982. This transition marked a significant change in the building's purpose and its connection to the city's postwar recovery.
The building takes its name from the sandy soil beneath it and now houses various university departments that shape how the space functions. The entrance hall features an information board where the university documents its perspective on this building's past during the Nazi period.
The building is accessible for student visits today, though it does not offer regular public tours as part of standard operations. Visitors should check in advance about viewing specific areas, as some departments have access restrictions.
A corner of the garden has hosted a student project focused on biochar production for sustainable practices since March 2012. This initiative demonstrates how the site serves contemporary environmental learning and experimentation today.
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