Page 15 - Lienz Treasure Chest

10 “Altes Spital” (“Old Hospital”)
was changed multiple times. In
and church – Founded as a welfare the 18th century, the church was
institution in the late 13th century, converted to Baroque style while
it had nothing in common with a incorporating the Gothic walls. The
hospital in the current sense, but Spitalskirche in Lienz was conside-
was more like a retirement home. red one of the most architecturally
One could move in for a fee in the consistent Baroque churches of
form of money or material goods. Tyrol until it was severely damaged
However, penniless inhabitants of during an Allied attack in April of
Lienz were also taken in and cared 1945. Reconstructed from 1952 to
for. Only in the first half of the 19th 1957. The church, no longer con-
century the facility began to deve- secrated, is now used for events
lop into a hospital in the modern and exhibits.
sense, although the difference bet-
ween patients and “tenants” remai- 11 Old town wall and tower – As
ned. In this sense, the “Old Hospi- was the norm in those days, the
tal” fulfilled its function up until the hospital was built outside of the
construction of the new district city proper – in this case, the main
hospital in 1931. Today, after a suc- square – and was only included in
cessful renovation by the architect the town after the expansion of the
Dieter Tuscher, the building houses walls around 1500. The northe- Spitalsbrücke (Hospital Bridge) with the “Spitalskirche” (“Hospital Church”).
the Bundes-Oberstufenrealgym- astern corner of the wall and the
nasium, a type of school covering roundel, converted into a tower in 12 Spitalsbrücke (Hospital Bridge) – 13 Restaurant and hotel “Gol-
the second stage of secondary 1952, remain visible. Iron truss structure, built in 1897 dener Fisch” (“Golden Fish”),
education. The entire construction and renovated from 1989 to 1991. Kärntnerstraße 9 – The tradition
A sculpture of a dove by local ar- of the oldest accommodation and
tist Jos Pirkner adorns this bridge food business in Lienz goes back
Old town wall and tower.
across the Isel. to the 15th century.
Grand Hotel Lienz – Lienz being the site of a five-star grand hotel
shows that the town and its surroundings are an adequate location
for a luxury resort. Located right beside the Isel river, the stylish
hotel offers spa facilities, luxury rooms and suites, and the best
restaurants and conference rooms.
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