page_title: Spitalgasse
section_title: Church of the Holy Ghost
hierarchical_section_title: Spitalgasse / Sights / Church of the Holy Ghost
context_page_description: The Spitalgasse is one of the streets in the Old City of Bern, the medieval city center of Bern, Switzerland. It is part of the Äussere Neustadt which was built during the third expansion from 1344 to 1346. The eastern end is at Waisenhausplatz and Bärenplatz while the western end is at Bahnhofplatz near the Church of the Holy Ghost. It is part of the UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Site that encompasses the Old City.
context_section_description: The first church on the site was a small church built shortly before the 1228 construction of the Holy Ghost hospital and abbey.  This building was replaced by the second church in 1482–96.  From 1528 to 1604 the church was secularized by the reformers.  In 1604 it was again used for religious services, as the hospital church for the Oberer Spital.  The second church was demolished in 1726 to make way for a new church building.  Following an 11-year planning phase, in 1726–29 the third church was built by Niklaus Schiltknecht.  The first organ in the new church was installed in 1804, and was replaced in 1933 by the second organ.  The church has six bells, one of the two largest was cast in 1596 and the other in 1728.  The four other bells were all cast in 1860.  With about 2000 seats, it is one of the largest Reformed churches.
  During the 1726 construction of the church, Roman religious objects were discovered under the foundation.  From this find, it appears likely that the church sits on the site of an old Roman temple.
caption: Church of the Holy Ghost
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