Hospital and Merciful Brothers convent in Spišské Podhradie / Nemocnica a kláštor Milosrdných bratov v Spišskom Podhradí (North-East Slovakia)
N 49° 00.019 E 020° 45.015
34U E 481732 N 5427521
Baroque complex of the former Hospital and Merciful Brothers convent (Nemocnica a kláštor Milosrdných bratov), located in the historic centre of Spišské Podhradie, serves nowadays as a welfare centre for old people.
Waymark Code: WMXKTP
Location: Prešovský kraj, Slovakia
Date Posted: 01/26/2018
Views: 4
Baroque complex of the former Hospital and Brothers Hospitallers convent (Nemocnica a kláštor Milosrdných bratov), located in the historic centre of Spišské Podhradie, serves nowadays as a welfare centre for old people.
Spišské Podhradie estabilished first hospital (later poorhouse) in 1327 as a charitable facility providing accommodation and the employees took care of old, disabled, homeless and sick people. There was a church near the hospital. Hospital, with own church, was administered by the Augustinian order since 1399 and Augustinians also founded here own convent.
Whole complex was given into hands of Hospitaller Order of the Brothers of Saint John of God (Merciful brothers) in 1672. The fraternity rebuilt slowly delapidating and partially demolished Gothic buildings in Baroque hospital with a new church and convent during years 1727-1736.
On the church's front facade in a stucco frame are a Baroque paintings of St. John of Nepomuk and St. Nicolas. There is a Latin inscription on a painted table with a chronogram stating that the hospital is consecrated to St. John of God. Capital letters of the chronogram stand for Latin digits and show year 1736. The interior of the church dates back to the 18th and 19th century. The main altar was made in 1737, in the centre of the altar there is a painting called Celebration of St. John of God painted by Martin Speer.
Complex of former convent, once more owned and administered by Merciful brothers after restitution in 1994, serves as "Domov sociálnych služieb sv. Jána z Boha" (House of Social Services of St. John of God).