Spital
You have entered the heart of the Spital. The current lay-out of the Spital remains impressive but does not give one the sense of the original cloistered atmosphere of the place. The Spital was a complicated amalgam of hospital, senior care facility, workhouse, house of worship and thriving business. Operated on the premise of daily work and prayer, the Spital welcomed those who could no longer care for themselves or were in need of companionship. The Spital particularly welcomed those who came with assets which were handed over to the Spital. To help care for these souls, the Spital also welcomed a certain number of indigents who were taken on to provide the care for the wealthy. Some residents brought with them highly-prized skills, such as spinning. The real estate portfolio brought income in the way of grain, wine and other commodities which needed to be stored for the use of the inhabitants or sold or traded. To meet the other needs of this self-sufficient community, there were also herb and vegetable gardens and workshops.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, one can get a sense of the importance and dynamism of this active institution. The long building to the right contains the former chapel (toward the street) adjoining the dormitory (toward the gardens). Of interest is the coat of arms over the main door. It is actually a grouping of three coats of arms, representing the three “owners” of Aub at the time. The largest, in the center, represent the Prince-Bishop of Wurzburg, who held ownership of one-half of Aub. The smaller ones represent the other owners of Aub, the Truchsess of Baldersheim and the Rosenberg family of Waldmannshofen, each having a one-quarter share. The building is now the Spital Museum and is open at certain times on the weekend.
Across the way is the large storage building, so important at the time that the renowned architect Balthasar Neumann had a hand in its design. It was here that the produce from the Spital’s lands were stored.
Beyond the courtyard, to the right, is a garden, reminiscent of a typical herb garden that would have been kept to provide herbs for kitchen and medicinal uses. Other areas within the confines of the city walls had housed the workshops that helped support the facility.
In the mid 1800s, the Spital lay-out was significantly modified. Previously, a wall between the chapel and the free-standing house separated the Spital from outsiders. The only way into the walled community was through an entrance located on the other side of the free-standing house. While the solitude and quiet of the Spital can still be imagined, it is harder to do during one of the outdoor concert or movie events regularly held at the open-air stage at the rear of the property.
As you exit the Spital, turn left at the street, make your way (carefully) along the narrow sidewalk around the apse of the former chapel and cross the bridge over the Gollach.
...next stop
The Bridge Over the Gollach
You have entered the heart of the Spital. The current lay-out of the Spital remains impressive but does not give one the sense of the original cloistered atmosphere of the place. The Spital was a complicated amalgam of hospital, senior care facility, workhouse, house of worship and thriving business. Operated on the premise of daily work and prayer, the Spital welcomed those who could no longer care for themselves or were in need of companionship. The Spital particularly welcomed those who came with assets which were handed over to the Spital. To help care for these souls, the Spital also welcomed a certain number of indigents who were taken on to provide the care for the wealthy. Some residents brought with them highly-prized skills, such as spinning. The real estate portfolio brought income in the way of grain, wine and other commodities which needed to be stored for the use of the inhabitants or sold or traded. To meet the other needs of this self-sufficient community, there were also herb and vegetable gardens and workshops.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard, one can get a sense of the importance and dynamism of this active institution. The long building to the right contains the former chapel (toward the street) adjoining the dormitory (toward the gardens). Of interest is the coat of arms over the main door. It is actually a grouping of three coats of arms, representing the three “owners” of Aub at the time. The largest, in the center, represent the Prince-Bishop of Wurzburg, who held ownership of one-half of Aub. The smaller ones represent the other owners of Aub, the Truchsess of Baldersheim and the Rosenberg family of Waldmannshofen, each having a one-quarter share. The building is now the Spital Museum and is open at certain times on the weekend.
Across the way is the large storage building, so important at the time that the renowned architect Balthasar Neumann had a hand in its design. It was here that the produce from the Spital’s lands were stored.
Beyond the courtyard, to the right, is a garden, reminiscent of a typical herb garden that would have been kept to provide herbs for kitchen and medicinal uses. Other areas within the confines of the city walls had housed the workshops that helped support the facility.
In the mid 1800s, the Spital lay-out was significantly modified. Previously, a wall between the chapel and the free-standing house separated the Spital from outsiders. The only way into the walled community was through an entrance located on the other side of the free-standing house. While the solitude and quiet of the Spital can still be imagined, it is harder to do during one of the outdoor concert or movie events regularly held at the open-air stage at the rear of the property.
As you exit the Spital, turn left at the street, make your way (carefully) along the narrow sidewalk around the apse of the former chapel and cross the bridge over the Gollach.
...next stop
The Bridge Over the Gollach