Spitalje - hospital Evangelismos (Annunciation) in Bitola

The hospital "Evangelismos" (Annunciation) or "Spitalje" as it was popularly called among the local population in Bitola, was the oldest civilian hospital in Bitola.

It existed at the approximate location of the current secondary school "Taki Daskalo".
It is not known exactly when it was built, but there are records that it worked in the second half of the XVIII century. 
"Evangelismos" in the beginning was a little building in service of the poor citizens of Bitola, and later with funds from the voluntary contributions of individuals and citizens, a large and modern hospital was built.
For its continued operation tended the Patriarch municipality or church "St. Demetrius ".
The hospital was financially dependent from the church, voluntary contributions, as well as revenue of the hospital property. 
For members of the patriarchal community the treatment in this hospital was free.
The largest contribution to the building of this hospital gave John Dimitriou – Pinika (Јован Димитриу - Пиника), who with his will in 1896 gave 3,000 pounds sterling to raise a new hospital, and for its support 10,000 pounds sterling, which were deposited in the National Bank in Athens.
The scope of work of the hospital "Annunciation" was diverse. Despite its basic hospital role, it was also an orphanage, nursing home and it served as temporary correctional facility (jail) for women convicted for theft, non-fulfillment of marital obligations, free life and prostitution. These woman were used as free labor at the hospital.
The hospital operated in this way until the First World War, when during the bombing of Bitola, on February 15, 1917, the hospital was hit by a grenade, and the upper floor was destroyed.

The hospital Annunciation during the First World War    http://www.culture.gouv.fr/

The hospital Annunciation during the First World War    http://www.culture.gouv.fr/

Until the end of the war in the remaining rooms of the ground floor and first floor were placed wounded Serbian and French soldiers.
After the First World War, the hospital was neglected and the funding from the Greek National Bank (legacy of the brothers Pinika) stopped.
Despite many initiatives of the citizenship for renovation of the hospital building, due to weak financial capabilities this never happened, the building was ruined and the hospital ceased to exist.