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| By Yasmeen Abdulkareem & Kamal Ghazal |
Across the world, abandoned places often become breeding grounds for eerie legends and whispered tales of the supernatural.
In Arab culture, these places take on an even deeper mystique, where the realms of folklore and faith intermingle and the belief in djinn, spirits, and cursed grounds is very much alive.
One such location is Irqa Hospital, situated in northern Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, a place that has risen to fame as one of the country's most infamous "haunted" sites.
Between mysterious lights, strange sounds, and fleeting shadowy figures, Irqa Hospital has become a modern legend one that still fuels fear and fascination in equal measure.
Why Are Abandoned Hospitals Believed to Be Haunted ?
Hospitals are inherently charged with powerful emotions: pain, fear, hope, and death.
Many paranormal researchers believe that places saturated with such intense energies may retain echoes of their past, developing a kind of spiritual "memory" that affects those who enter.
In the case of Irqa Hospital, the combination of its tragic history and atmospheric decay has created the perfect stage for ghost stories to thrive.
Strange Phenomena Reported Inside Irqa Hospital
Residents and adventurers alike have reported a series of unexplained occurrences within the hospital’s crumbling walls, including:
- Localized temperature anomalies in certain rooms.
- Lights flickering on and off, even though the building has been completely disconnected from the power grid.
- Unexplained noises at night, sometimes described as whispers or footsteps, heard by nearby residents.
- Shadowy figures seen lurking in the basement and darkened corridors.
Some locals, such as Saud Al-Dosari, have shared chilling testimonies of how strange sounds at night have terrified their children, forcing families to seek temporary shelter in nearby furnished apartments. Others have recounted seeing lights inside the building despite the confirmed lack of electricity.
The True Story Behind Irqa Hospital
The story of Irqa Hospital begins with a Saudi businessman who built the medical facility at a cost of over 500 million SAR (around $133 million USD) and later donated it to the Ministry of Health before his death.
However, disputes between his heirs and a business partner over financial claims exceeding the hospital’s original value led to legal battles that kept the facility closed for over 26 years.
According to Dr. Khalid Marghalani of the Ministry of Health, the hospital was never formally received by the ministry, and some of its operational equipment was later transferred to a different hospital.
Although Irqa Hospital was fully equipped and ready for operation, the medical and administrative staff mysteriously left after only a few days, and the hospital was left abandoned, eventually becoming a target for vandals, looters, and criminal activity.
Youth Adventures and the Rise of Paranormal Legends
Dozens of young men would arrive late at night, armed with flashlights and sometimes even knives, daring each other to explore the haunted ruins.
Some fled the premises in panic after mere minutes, while others reported no unusual activity — just the oppressive silence of a forgotten place.
One famous story tells of a group who, upon leaving, were scolded by a supposed "security guard" — only to later learn that no guards were ever stationed there!
In more extreme cases, groups of young men even set fire to parts of the hospital in an attempt to "hunt for djinn," a dangerous trend that has mirrored similar incidents elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, such as in Abha.
Possible Explanations for the Strange Events
Despite the chilling testimonies, experts caution against jumping to conclusions. Several plausible theories have been proposed:
1- Natural and Environmental Factors
Abandoned medical equipment particularly old imaging and magnetic storage devices could be emitting residual electromagnetic fields, which are known to affect the human brain’s temporal lobe, sometimes causing auditory or visual hallucinations.
Toxic substances, decaying pharmaceuticals, and leaking gas pipes could also contribute to feelings of nausea, dizziness, or hallucinations symptoms commonly mistaken for supernatural encounters.
2- Paranormal and Metaphysical Theories
Others believe that djinn or malevolent spirits may have chosen the hospital as a dwelling place.
There are even older legends about the area itself: the name "Irqa" is linked to a righteous man named Irqan, whose tomb and mosque were believed to be haunted by spirits.
Some suggest that a curse or spiritual guardianship was placed on the site, intentionally or accidentally, preventing any future operation of the hospital.
3- Hysteria, Exaggeration, and Criminal Activity
Skeptics argue that many of the reported incidents tem from exaggerated rumors and mass hysteria.
Simple natural phenomena like stray animals, gusts of wind, or crumbling infrastructure could easily be misinterpreted in a charged, fearful atmosphere.
Moreover, abandoned locations are often ideal hiding spots for illegal activities.
In such cases, promoting a "haunted" reputation helps keep ordinary citizens and authorities away, providing cover for drug use, vandalism, or other crimes.
Between Reality and Legend
Whether haunted by spirits or merely haunted by human fears, Irqa Hospital has cemented itself as a chilling symbol in Saudi Arabia’s growing collection of paranormal folklore.
It stands as a haunting reminder of how places abandoned by humans may not always be truly empty whether of memories, energies... or something more.
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