The Heilig-Geist-Spital (Holy Spirit Hospital) is a charming example of medieval architecture in the heart of Nuremberg’s Old Town. Dating back to 1332, the hospital was established to care for the elderly and the needy and has survived throughout the centuries largely unscathed. Take photographs of the building reflected in the river waters and admire the hospital’s remarkable medieval architecture as you stroll around Nuremberg’s charming Old Town.
Approaching the Heilig-Geist-Spital from the northern banks of the Pegnitz River, look for the building’s preserved riverfront façade. This north wall of the hospital’s former church on Hans Sachs Platz is characterized by its double span over the river waters and a central ridge turret. Admire the enduring architecture of this medieval structure, which has survived since the 1330s. The design extended across the river in accordance with plans by Hans Beheim the Elder.
The building was endowed by the Imperial Mayor Konrad Gross, who is believed to have made the largest personal donation in the Holy Roman Empire before 1500. Enjoy views of the preserved hospital church, the Kreuzigungshof, from the pretty riverbank. This church housed the imperial regalia between 1424 and 1796. Its courtyard, the Hanselhof, once held Nuremberg’s earliest large-scale bronze figure, which dated back to 1380. You can now see the original cast-bronze statue in the German National Museum. Today, the arcaded courtyard of the Kreuzigungshof still holds the tomb monuments of the church’s patron, Konrad Gross.
In the northern building of the Heilig-Geist-Spital complex, enjoy German hospitality and cuisine in a traditional setting at the restaurant housed within the hospital walls.
The Heilig-Geist-Spital is located on the St. Sebald side of Nuremberg’s Old Town straddling the northern branch of the Pegnitz River. Unless you are dining at the restaurant, the building is not accessible to the public as it is currently used as a retirement home. Enjoy views of the historic structure from the street and riverbank. See the best views of the complex from the northern banks of the Pegnitz River. Another scenic outlook is from the Museum Bridge, which is directly west of Heilig-Geist-Spital’s historic riverfront façade.
