Photographer Captures Inside Abandoned Veterinary School

Located in Brussels, the l'école de médecine vétérinaire (The School of Veterinary Medicine) shut its doors forever in 1990 after moving to a new location.

The eerie building has become synonymous among urban explorers eager to snap pickled animals in jars.

Belgium based photographer and urban explorer, Ioanna Sakellaraki, 26, took the chilling pictures after sneaking into the building through the basement.

She said: “Entering the building it was an unexpected surprise as it usually is during an exploration. In this case entering from the basement was incredible as I shone the light of my torch and then the flash of my camera to the unbelievable, hidden treasures inside.”

After its closure in 1990, most of the buildings in the complex were turned into apartments, however the main building that Ioanna explored was left filled with supplies and equipment from the old vet school.

Surrounded by newly built high-end apartments the old veterinary stands out due to its early twentieth century architecture.

Despite its modest design which is highlighted further by the new buildings surrounding it, not many people are aware of the horrors inside.

Ioanna said: “From 1969 to 1990, the school was a huge complex. As the whole faculty was moved to the Sart-Tilman campus of the University of Liege, this vast site remained unused and was gradually turned into residential housing.

“Today, its renovated neo-renaissance facades, green passages and impressive fences come in total contrast with the one and only remaining abandoned building from the 1900s.”

Years of neglect has left the vet school with a distinct smell. This is due in part to the open jars filled with the remains of animals as well as formaldehyde, a chemical used in the embalming process.

She said: “You could tell this place was locked down for a long time and it was so narrow around the table where the shelves were placed that you couldn’t help but stumble while trying to navigate your way around the lab.

“It had an intense smell of mold and also smelt of chemicals which would burn your nose.”