University hospital Aachen

University hospital Aachen, front view

The Klinikum Aachen, full German name "Universitätsklinikum Aachen" (University Hospital Aachen), abbreviated UKA, formerly known as "Neues Klinikum", is a very large hospital in Aachen (Germany). It is part of the RWTH Aachen and contains its whole medical faculty.

Seen from far away, for many visitors the Klinikum Aachen looks like an oil refinery rather than a hospital. Due to problems during construction, the 25 lift and supply towers are much higher than the highest storeys. Ubiquitous huge striped ventilation pipes are attached to the outer walls.

The Klinikum Aachen contains many specialised clinics, theoretical and clinical institutes and other research facilities, lecture halls, schools for jobs in the medical field, and all facilities necessary for a hospital like a laundry and central sterilisation.

It is the biggest single-building hospital in Europe.

History

In 1966 the faculty of medicine at the RWTH Aachen was founded. Automatically the municipal hospitals in Aachen became university hospitals, but soon it was realised that they were too small.

In 1972 the constructions of the Klinikum Aachen began. Ten years later the first rooms could be used by the faculty. The rest of the building was finished section by section. The constructions were delayed due to problems with too soft ground material that could not sustain the whole building. So eventually not all storeys were realised.

The official opening was celebrated in 1985. Its original name was "Neues Klinikum" (New Klinikum) because there was already a hospital called "Klinikum" in Aachen. That doesn't exist anymore, so it was renamed.

Facts and Figures

External links

• Klinikum Aachen (English version available)