Site Oud Sint-Jan is a historic hospital complex and cultural event site at Mariastraat 38 in Bruges. Its restored wards now serve as a congress centre and temporary exhibition spaces, while the wider site includes a park, square and restaurants.
- Address: Mariastraat 38, 8000 Brugge, Belgium
- Regular activities: Temporary exhibitions and harp concerts
- Entrances: Mariastraat and Zonnekemeers
- Parking: Parking Zonnekemeers is on site
What is Site Oud Sint-Jan?
Site Oud Sint-Jan is a former hospital complex whose history reaches back to an early medieval infirmary. The 19th-century St John’s Hospital closed in 1976, and its restored wards have been part of the Old St. John Congress and Event Centre since 1989.
Today, the former wards house a convention centre and temporary exhibition spaces. The wider complex includes the medieval St John’s Hospital, Eleonora Verbeke Square, St John’s Hospital Park, restaurants and the artwork The veins of the convent.
The congress centre has 12 multifunctional rooms, 1,763 m² of indoor space and a 697 m² indoor garden. These facilities make the site a venue for events as well as a place to encounter the historic hospital setting.
What events and activities take place at the site?
Site Oud Sint-Jan regularly hosts temporary exhibitions on subjects such as art, science and recreation, as well as harp concerts. For a separate concert stop in Bruges, what to know about tickets and access at Concertgebouw Brugge can help with planning.
Past exhibitions have included Picasso and Andy Warhol, alongside photography, science and history shows such as Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Da Vinci – the inventions of a genius, Mummies – Secrets of Ancient Egypt and Body Worlds. Because exhibitions are temporary, check the official site before you go for current listings, hours and ticket details.
The site itself does not publish general public opening hours or a general entry arrangement. Check the details for the specific event or exhibition you plan to attend before setting out.
How do you get to Site Oud Sint-Jan on foot?
You can reach Site Oud Sint-Jan from Bruges railway station in about 10 minutes on foot, following the operator’s directions via Oostmeers to Zonnekemeers. The entrance at Zonnekemeers is also the one by the parking area.
There are two entrances: the main gate at Mariastraat 38 and the entrance via Zonnekemeers. If you are walking from the station, the Zonnekemeers entrance follows the operator’s described route. The nearest bus stop is 502818 Brugge Olv Kerk, and the nearest station is Station Brugge.
For another walk through the city, you can combine a visit with a self-guided Bruges walking tour that starts near the centre.
Where can you park, and what should you check before visiting?
Parking Zonnekemeers is the on-site car park, reached via the entrance on Zonnekemeers. Parking Centrum Zand and Parking Centrum Station are other options named by the congress-centre operator; Visit Bruges identifies Centrum-’t Zand car park as the nearest parking.
Visit Bruges lists baby-carriage access, group admission and picnic permission among the site’s facilities. A paid public toilet at Mariastraat 38 is open daily from 09:30 to 17:30 and includes a baby-changing table and accessible toilet facilities. Check the City of Bruges site before relying on toilet hours.
Site Oud Sint-Jan is about a five-minute walk from Hotel Leopold, where you can browse the hotel’s room options.
FAQs
Is Site Oud Sint-Jan a hospital today?
No. The hospital closed in 1976. Its restored wards now form part of a congress and event centre, with spaces also used for temporary exhibitions.
Are exhibitions held at Site Oud Sint-Jan?
Yes. The site regularly hosts temporary exhibitions, with past subjects ranging from art and photography to science and history.
Can you park at Site Oud Sint-Jan?
Yes. Parking Zonnekemeers is on site, and the operator also names Parking Centrum Zand and Parking Centrum Station as alternatives.
Does Site Oud Sint-Jan have general public opening hours?
The venue does not give general public opening hours or a general entry arrangement for the whole site. Check the specific event or exhibition details before you visit.