Siechenkapelle (Chapel of the Sick), Bregenz

The Siechenkapelle was founded around 1400–1402 by Count Hugo XII of Montfort and consecrated in 1401. It was built next to a leper house, where people with contagious illnesses lived outside the main settlement. The chapel gave them a place to attend Mass. It even had separate access and a gallery so patients could take part in services without mixing with others.

The original building was Gothic in style. It had a single nave, a polygonal choir, and pointed-arch windows. In the mid-18th century, the chapel was rebuilt in the Baroque style. This change can be seen in the bell tower, which is topped with a small cupola. Inside, visitors find an altar and a statue of the Madonna and Child from around 1540, as well as images of saints such as St. Catherine and St. Joseph.

The chapel and the former Siechenhaus have both survived. The welfare house is considered the first closed charitable institution of its kind in the area. It was renovated in 1992 under architect Hans Purin and is now used by the energy company illwerke vkw AG for internal and cultural events. Today, the chapel stands as a clear reminder of how illness, faith, and community life were closely connected more than six centuries ago.