Ger­man House(Duit­se Huis)

At the Geertebolwerk is the large hospital wing of the Duitse Huis that dates from 1823. The Duitse HUis was built in 1349 for the Ridderlijke Duitse Orde(German Order of Knights), established in 1191 during the crusades to nurse the ill and pilgrims, and which soon gained a more military character. This order established houses in Europe, including Utrecht. The monestery complex remained in their possession untill 1811 when Louis Napoleon ordered them to leave. From 1811 to 1990, it was used as a Rijks Militair Hospitaal(state military hospital). Today it is a hotel and is partly owned by the Duitse Orde again.