Old St-John's Hospital

Geschiedenis

The Hospital of St. John (Oud Sint-Janshospitaal) was a medieval hospital in Bruges. It was founded in the mid-12th century.Located next to the Church of Our Lady, the premises contain some of Europe's oldest surviving hospital buildings. 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.Not until 1977 did the building's function as a hospital stop, at which time it was moved to a newer modern hospital in Brugge Sint-Pieters. The city of Bruges took over the buildings. 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, as well as hospital records, medical instruments and other works of art.The hospital site is also used as a congress and exhibition centre, the site Oud Sint-Jan.

"Hoe ging het er vroeger aan toe in een hospitaal? In het Sint-Janshospitaal, een van de oudst bewaarde hospitaalgebouwen van Europa, kom je er alles over te weten. De vroegste sporen dateren van midden 12e eeuw. Het hospitaal is gevuld met een imposante collectie kunstwerken en medische instrumenten die je alles bijleren over het vroegere hospitaalleven en hoe de ziekenzalen er toen uitzagen."