Alexianerkloster Aachen, Catholic monastery in Aachen, Germany
The Alexianerkloster Aachen is a monastery and hospital complex featuring modern architecture designed by Wilhelm Pauen and completed in 1929. The facility combines a church, residential spaces, and medical areas within a connected building complex along Alexianergraben street.
The monastery received its first official mention in 1391 and gained prominence during plague years when brothers cared for the sick and buried the dead. This medical service helped the institution survive French occupation from 1795 to 1815, when many other religious houses were dissolved.
The monastery's emblem features a pelican, raven, and spade as symbols of the brothers' commitment to caring for the sick and serving others. These images appear throughout the cloister and help visitors understand the spiritual mission reflected in the place's daily life.
The monastery offers guided tours through its architectural spaces and is accessible from Alexianergraben street for exterior viewing. Archives documenting regional medical history are available for those interested in learning more about the site's healthcare heritage.
The monastery's survival during French occupation stands out because its medical services exempted it from the dissolution that affected many other religious institutions. This exceptional status made it one of the few houses to maintain continuous operation through that turbulent period.
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