House of the Holy Ghost, Copenhagen

The House of the Holy Ghost (Danish: Helligåndshuset) in Copenhagen, Denmark is a historic building owned and operated as an exhibition space by the adjacent Church of the Holy Ghost.One of the oldest buildings in Copenhagen, it was part of the largest medieval hospital in Denmark which King Christian I turned into an Augustinian priory 1497.

The Hospital of the Holy Ghost was founded in 1296 near Grayfriars monastery by the Bishop of Roskilde, Johannes Krag (), under the name 'Copenhagen's Hospital'. Bishop Krag was member of the powerful Krag-Hvide noble family. For its support a ground rent was assessed all properties in Copenhagen which had not already paid the tax. The hospital's purpose was to gather up the poor and sick and feed and care for them. After the imposition of the original ground rent, the hospital sent out 'petitioners' to solicit alms for the upkeep and operation of the hospital.

As was the case with St. Clare's Hospital, the Hospital of the Holy Ghost was operated by a quasi-religious brotherhood which lived a religious life and cared for the residents. Local priests were assigned to see to the spiritual welfare of the people who lived and worked at the hospital. The 'rule' of the brotherhood most closely resembled that of the Knights of St. John. In time the name was changed to Holy Ghost House (Danish: Helligåndshus). Common people came to refer to it as 'Holy Ghost's', (Danish: Helliggestes) the pronunciation coming from the countless German merchants who frequented the city.

Over the centuries families donated properties to the hospital for its maintenance. By the 15th century it had income from several such properties. Sometime before 1449 the hospital had its own church and bath house.

In 1472 King Christian I took the hospital, and all its properties, contents, and its brothers and sisters under his protection, most likely because it could no longer support itself. The king invited contributions from throughout Denmark for the assistance to the poor and sick of Holy Ghost House.

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