Ex Ospedale di Sant'Agostino, Former hospital complex in Modena, Italy.
The Ex Ospedale di Sant'Agostino is a former hospital in Modena featuring symmetrically arranged wings for male and female patients, organized around central altars and religious spaces. The structure spans over 11,000 square meters and has been fully renovated to serve as a modern cultural center.
The hospital was founded in 1753 under Duke Francesco III d'Este and expanded in 1772 to house a military infirmary. It served Modena's population until 2004, when it was converted into a cultural venue.
Today the building operates as AGO Modena, a cultural center offering exhibition spaces, multimedia facilities, and educational programs for the community. Visitors can experience how the former medical space has been transformed to support diverse creative and public activities.
The site is well accessible and most areas are easy to navigate for visitors. Allow plenty of time for a full visit since the building is large and contains multiple exhibition and multimedia areas to explore.
The building was originally designed with religious elements, where patient wards were aligned toward sacred images and functioned with separate altars for different needs. This spatial arrangement shows how medical care and spiritual support were closely interwoven in the structure itself.
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