Pia casa della Senavra, Sanatorium in eastern Milan, Italy.
The Pia casa della Senavra is a building on Corso XXII Marzo 50 in Milan originally designed as a psychiatric facility showing typical features of a 19th-century medical institution. The structure includes various areas for patients, treatment, and staff, with spaces for therapeutic activities alongside residential and care quarters.
The facility was founded in 1781 under the directive of Maria Theresa of Austria and was originally Milan's first psychiatric institution. It separated from the management of Ospedale Maggiore in 1844 and later closed its doors in 1878.
The building served as a place where music and theater were part of treatment, with patients supported through artistic activities. The spaces reflect a belief that cultural experiences could aid in healing.
The building underwent partial demolition and renovation during the second half of the 20th century while maintaining its original structural elements. These changes affect which areas are accessible today and how the interior layout appears.
The institution originally housed around 500 patients, though it quickly became overcrowded as more people arrived than planned. This overcrowding was one reason why the facility sought its independence.
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