Seniorenstift St. Laurentius Essen

Seniorenstift St. Laurentius Essen is a senior care home in the Steele district of Essen, Germany. Its origins lie in the Laurentius-Hospital, a Catholic hospital initiated by Pfarrer Heinrich Hake and built in several phases from the 1860s onward according to plans by the Steele architect Johannes Schirner. The hospital was solemnly inaugurated on 25 July 1869, with the first patient—a severely injured worker from the Neu-Schottland ironworks—admitted the day before. Sisters of the order Arme Dienstmägde Jesu Christi from Dernbach served there from the beginning until 1968. The building complex, with neo-Gothic elements, was completed in 1912 after several expansions, and a chapel was consecrated in 1904. After protests, hospital operations ceased in 1981, and the facility was converted into the Altenkrankenheim St. Laurentius. In 1998, with support from the Essen St. Elisabeth-Stiftung, it was developed into a modern senior facility. A new building south of and behind the old structure was begun in 1999 and inaugurated in August 2001; nursing operations in the historic old building ended in March 2000. The old building, listed as a monument since 6 August 1989, now houses administration and conference rooms on the ground floor, a shop and hairdresser, and apartments on the upper floors. The new building accommodates seniors in four residential groups on two floors, with 78 single and 12 double rooms, surrounded by green spaces. A connecting corridor links the new and old buildings, providing access to the house chapel where regular services of both denominations are held. Today the facility operates under the umbrella of the Contilia-Trägergesellschaft as Laurentius Quartier within St. Laurentius Pflege und Betreuung GmbH. It is part of Contilia's network of senior centers and care services in the Ruhr region.

The history of Seniorenstift St. Laurentius Essen begins in the mid-19th century, when the Catholic priest Heinrich Hake advocated for the establishment of a hospital in the then-independent town of Steele. In 1866, amid cholera outbreaks, discussions about building a hospital in Steele intensified. The building was constructed according to plans by the Steele architect Johannes Schirner. On 25 July 1869, the hospital was solemnly inaugurated with a service in the St. Laurentius church; the first patient, a severely injured worker from the Neu-Schottland ironworks (founded 1856 in Unterer Horst), had been admitted the day before. From the beginning until 1968, sisters of the order Arme Dienstmägde Jesu Christi from Dernbach in the Westerwald served at the hospital. The physicians Hülsebusch (who worked without pay in the early years), Schwellenbach, and Schnütgen shaped the early years. Doctors of the Berg- und Hütten-Aktien-Verein Neu-Schottland were also able to treat their own patients there. From 1877, the present-day appearance of the building with neo-Gothic elements was created in about five construction phases. Under the chapel built in 1904, a modern operating room for the time was installed. After the entire complex received an additional floor in 1911, the hospital was finally completed and inaugurated in 1912. The expansion was significantly supported by the Steele priest and honorary citizen Matthias Büssem (1834–1914). The chapel, consecrated in 1904 as part of the third construction phase, is located at the western end of the Laurentius-Hospital on the first upper floor, about 19 meters long, and seats about 100 worshippers. Inside, it features high windows, an organ gallery, and an elevated altar area. The wall paintings by carpenter and painter Franz Anton Goldkuhle of the Wiedenbrück school were donated, as was most of the other inventory. In 1981, after protests, hospital operations ceased. Subsequently, the conversion into the Altenkrankenheim St. Laurentius began, with former hospital employees taken on in the new operation. In 1998, with the help of the Essen St. Elisabeth-Stiftung, the old people's home was developed into a contemporary senior facility. In 1999, the foundation stone was laid for the new building south of and behind the old building, which was inaugurated in August 2001. In March 2000, nursing operations in the historic old building ceased. The old building, listed as a monument since 6 August 1989, now houses administration and conference rooms on the ground floor, as well as a sales outlet and a hairdresser. The upper floors contain apartments. In the new building, seniors live on two floors in four residential groups. It offers a total of 78 single and 12 double rooms and is surrounded by green spaces. A connecting corridor leads from the new to the old building, among other things to reach the house chapel, where regular services of both denominations are held. Under the umbrella of the Contilia-Trägergesellschaft, the senior facility today operates as Laurentius Quartier within St. Laurentius Pflege und Betreuung GmbH.

• 2023

  Renamed Laurentius-Stift or Laurentius Quartier.

• 2001

  New building inaugurated in August.

• 2000

  Nursing operations in the historic old building cease in March.

• 1999

  Foundation stone laid for the new building south of and behind the old building.

• 1998

  With help from the Essen St. Elisabeth-Stiftung, the facility is developed into a contemporary senior home.

• 1989

  The old building is placed under monument protection on 6 August.

• 1981

  Hospital operations cease after protests; conversion into Altenkrankenheim St. Laurentius begins.

• 1968

  Sisters of the order Arme Dienstmägde Jesu Christi end their service at the hospital.

• 1912

  Hospital finally completed and inaugurated.

• 1911

  The entire complex receives an additional floor.

• 1904

  Consecration of the chapel at the western end of the hospital; a modern operating room installed beneath it.

• 1877

  Start of about five construction phases that shaped the present building with neo-Gothic elements.

• 1869

  Solemn inauguration of the Laurentius-Hospital on 25 July; first patient admitted the day before.

A historic, monument-protected senior care facility integrated into the Contilia network, offering modern residential and nursing care in Essen-Steele.

• Residential senior care in four groups

  The new building offers living space for seniors on two floors in four residential groups, with 78 single and 12 double rooms.

• Historic chapel

  A neo-Gothic chapel consecrated in 1904, about 19 meters long, seating about 100, with regular services of both denominations.

• Senior apartments in the old building

  The upper floors of the monument-protected old building contain apartments; the ground floor houses administration, conference rooms, a shop, and a hairdresser.

1. 1Contilia Einrichtungen – Medizinische Versorgung für Siecontilia.de
2. 2Seniorenstift St. Laurentius – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3Seniorenstift St. Laurentius Essen – Wikidatawikidata.org