Ground Floor

The Gornja Radgona Spital

Špitals were almshouses or (later) hospitals for the disabled, elderly, orphans, and the poor, which originated in the Middle Ages. They were maintained by municipal authorities, guilds, cooperative societies, rich townspeople, the nobility and clergy. In the 18th century they were gradually converted into hospitals, orphanages, or almshouses.

The Špital in Gornja Radgona was probably built in 1363 by the inhabitants of the suburb Gris to provide shelter to their orphans and poor. The original Gothic building consisted of the present-day cellar on the ground floor and a room above it. Probably after 1614, the medieval ground plan was complemented with a large hall and a narrow long room that had an open arcade corridor. In 1618, Ferdinand II ordered the »špital« to be moved there. In 1764 an inside stairway was constructed, connecting the ground floor with the first floor. The ground plan of the rectangular building, with its protruding semicircular apse is unique in Slovenian lands.

In the 19th century, part of the building was rented out to tenants, while the caretakers of the »špital« lived in the rest of the building. In the 19th and 20th century, several renovations were undertaken and the building has served various purposes.