Ospedale Neuropsichiatrico di Racconigi was one of the most important psychiatric institutions in the Piedmont region of Italy. Opened in 1871, the facility gradually expanded into a vast healthcare complex consisting of multiple pavilions, workshops, a church, and various support buildings. Over the decades, thousands of patients were admitted and treated here, making the hospital a significant part of Italy’s psychiatric care history.

One of the oldest structures on the site is the Padiglione Chiarugi, whose origins date back to the late eighteenth century. As patient numbers increased, the complex continued to grow throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Historical archives preserve more than 52,000 patient records, highlighting the scale and importance of the institution.

Following the introduction of Italy’s Basaglia Law in 1978, which led to the closure of traditional psychiatric hospitals across the country, the facility gradually lost its original purpose. The remaining departments were shut down in the following years, and although some buildings continued to serve limited medical or administrative functions, much of the complex was eventually abandoned.