Sitting at the end of a winding road in Tajikistan’s Hissar Mountain Range, this health spa has served as a retreat since 1935. In 1983, the building was redone, revealing the seven-story Brutalist sanatorium that stands today—a relic of the area’s Soviet past.
Historically, these Soviet spas were more like medical institutions, with local workers visiting to undergo all manner of treatments focused on relaxation and wellbeing—with a twist. The nearby natural springs supply hot water for the spa, but due to the breakdown of radioactive substances in soil and rocks, the water is naturally infused with the radioactive gas radon. Believed to have medicinal benefits in limited doses, the spa provides services such as a radioactive swimming pool and a “magical” radon steam room.
Today, guests from around the word visit the grounds to soak in the unique pools and undergo traditional treatments by local doctors. The less-invasive procedures range from paraffin wax wraps, mud baths, or a trip to the “tanning barrel,” while more extreme treatments include electroshock therapy, colonic irrigation, and bloodletting with leeches.