Review article
Tradition of Hospices (Xenodochia) in the Town of Varaždin, Croatia
Gustav Piasek
Martina Piasek
Abstract
Varaždin has a long tradition of hospices or xenodochia as institutions for accommodation and care of disabled, poor and elderly citizens, and occasional travellers. Preserved documents show that these institutions existed as early as 1454. Even though we do not know which the first xenodochium was in the town, their continuous presence is evidenced from the 15th through to the mid 20th century. A house built as a xenodochium in 1776 is still standing, but now it is a residential building. The last xenodochium was built in 1839, stopped operating in 1965, and was pulled down in 1982. This put an end to an at least five centuries long tradition of hospices in the town. In 2000, global recognition of the need for this kind of social and health care institutions, encouraged a group of Varaždin townspeople, including health care professionals gathered around Varaždinska udruga prijatelja hospicija 1457.-2000. (Varaždin Association of Hospice Friends 1457-2000), to work on establishing a modern hospice/palliative care for seriously or terminally ill and disabled persons and to restore this centuries old tradition.
Keywords
Croatia; history of medicine; hospices; palliative care; social and health care institutions; Varaždin; xenodochia
Hrčak ID:
6051
URI
Publication date:
13.12.2006.
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