The Old St. John Congress and Event Centre is located in a historic 19th century hospital. The same site also contains the building in which one of the earliest infirmaries in medieval Europe was founded. Visitors to our location can therefore enjoy the experience offered by one of the most impressive pieces of medical heritage anywhere in the world.
The medieval St. John’s Hospital was once the largest institution in the city for the care of the sick, the poor and the needy. Using stories, artefacts and works of art, visitors to the St. John’s Hospital Memling Museum can look back on 800 years of medical history.
Later, a new hospital was built on the same site. From the 19th century until 1976, the Old St. John Hospital was one of Bruges primary medical facilities, with large communal wards for the treatment of patients. These wards have now been renovated and transformed into multi-functional spaces, whose unique background gives an interesting ‘twist’ to any event.
