Old St. John's Hospital

Old St. John's Hospital is an 11th-century hospital in Bruges, Belgium. Located next to the Church of Our Lady, it is one of Europe's oldest surviving hospital buildings.[1] The hospital grew during the Middle Ages and was a place where sick pilgrims and travellers were cared for. The site was later expanded with the building of a monastery and convent. In the 19th century, further construction led to a hospital with eight wards around a central building.

Today part of the hospital complex holds the popular Hans Memling museum, named for the German-born Early Netherlandish painter, where a number of works, such as triptychs are displayed,[2] as well as hospital records, medical instruments and other works of art.[3]

The hospital site is also used as a congress and exhibition centre, the site Oud Sint-Jan.

References

  1. "Sint-Janshospitaal". Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  2. Patrick Barkham (2008-05-03). "Land of the friet". The Guardian. Retrieved 2012-11-29.
  3. "Too Much Belgian Beer? Go to the Memling Hospital Museum in Bruges". 2010-04-01. Retrieved 2012-11-29.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sint-Janshospitaal (Bruges).

Coordinates: 51°12′14″N 3°13′26″E / 51.204°N 3.224°E