Harastølen, Former sanatorium and psychiatric hospital in Luster Municipality, Norway
Harastølen is a five-story medical facility standing 500 meters above Lustrafjorden, featuring large windows that overlook the fjord and surrounding mountains. The building contained modern amenities including water closets and was equipped with Norway's first private water turbines.
Established in 1902, it operated as Norway's largest tuberculosis sanatorium until 1958. During this period, the facility treated approximately 15,000 patients and became a leading center for managing this widespread disease.
The facility included a cinema, library, and park where patients and staff could spend leisure time together. These spaces reflected a belief that entertainment and outdoor activity supported healing.
Access requires driving a 7-kilometer road with thirteen hairpin bends that climbs from the fjord base to the building. Visitors should plan for this challenging drive and exercise caution in poor weather conditions.
The building was equipped with Norway's first private water turbines, which generated electricity for the facility. This water power was the reason this isolated mountainside location was chosen for a modern medical complex.
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