Saint John’s Hospital

Saint John’s Hospital, or Sint-Janshospitaal, stands along Mariastraat as one of the oldest preserved hospital complexes in Europe. Its most striking feature is the massive, monumental oak roof truss stretching across the attic, widely recognized as one of the oldest and largest of its kind on the continent. Founded around the middle of the twelfth century, the institution originally provided shelter, food, and care for pilgrims, travelers, and the sick.