complex of S.Spirito in Sassia (Rome)

 complex- dont use this category, congress centre, interesting place

The complex of S.Spirito in Sassia is composed by two parts: the Hospital and the Historical National Museum of Health Art. The complex was created in 727 a.c, when the king Ina, king of Saxons, founded the so called “Schola Saxonum” (from which the word Sassia derives) as guest house for people who wanted to visit the tomb of the apostle Peter.

The Hospital, which still works, is one of the eldest in Europe. It was built by Pope Innocenzo the 3rd as a recovery point for old people, sick people and for abandoned children.

Children were entered as “filius m. ignotae”, where “m.” indicated “matris” (mother) but, because the dot wasn’t pronounced, it was read as “filius mignotae”, from which derives the bad world in Roman slang “mignotta”.

On the other side, the Museum was inaugurated in 1933 and inside there’s the eldest chariot of the Red Cross, very old surgical and obstetric instruments and a fetter from the 16th century used to tie down insane people. There is also a huge library with more than ten thousand books, which is very precious for the history of healthcare.
Details about this spot
The origins of the complex of S. Spirit in Sassia date back to 727 D.C. when the king of the Saxons INA established the "Schola Saxonum" (from which comes the word "stones"), as shelter for their fellow countrymen who came on pilgrimage to Rome at the tomb of 'Apostle Peter. Reduced to ruin by fire and looting, the complex was rebuilt by Marchionne d'Arezzo in 1198 under the pontificate of Pope Innocent III, who gave the Order of the Hospital of St. Spirit, founded by Guido di Montpellier, the establishment of a hospital devoted to the sick, the poor and the "project" (the illegitimate child and abandoned by their mothers). The subsequent renovation and extension was built by Baccio Pontelli presumably between 1471 and 1478 on the initiative of Pope Sixtus IV called "Great Fabbricatore" for many commissioned works, he did decorate the Sistine lane with a cycle of frescoes illustrating the innocenzo history of the hospital, the refoundation sistina and episodes of life of the famous Franciscan pope. The magnificent octagonal lantern that divides into two great circles the Sistine Lane (120 meters long), houses an altar attributed to Palladio with a painting by Carlo Maratta (sec. XVII).
S.Spirito in Sassia | Art & culture, Relaxing | Free