Milestone for University Hospital

It is a milestone for cutting-edge medicine at the University Hospital Würzburg (UKW): on 16 April 2026, the Haushaltsausschuss (Budget Committee) in the Bavarian State Parliament approved the preliminary measures for the development of the north extension site at the Würzburg University Hospital. The Council of Ministers had already voted in favour of this in February.

This means that site clearance for the major project can begin next autumn. A budget of 102.4 million euros will be made available for this. Following the site development, the building construction work for the first construction phase of the new hospital complex can then begin.

New building brings hospital areas together

The first construction phase on the north extension site of the UKW, with around 270 beds, will provide space for the Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic, the Eye Clinic (both previously in the "Kopfklink" - head clinic) and the Gynaecology Clinic, with corresponding operating theatres, intensive care places and central facilities on a total usable area of around 30,000 square metres. This will create state-of-the-art facilities to replace the current areas from the 1970s (Head Clinic) and 1930s (Gynaecological Clinic).

Bavaria's Science Minister Markus Blume emphasises: "This is the start of a real generational project. Northern Bavaria's largest construction project can start in the autumn. After the Council of Ministers, the Budget Committee has now also cleared the way. Thank you very much for the vote. The further development of the University Hospital Würzburg is a showcase project for cutting-edge university medicine - the state government is driving this forward at full speed. We want to continue to guarantee high-quality medical and modern patient care at the UKW for future generations and offer research and teaching at the highest level."

Thanks from the UKW to all those involved

"Following the vote of the Council of Ministers in February, the decision of the Budget Committee is another important milestone: it will also secure cutting-edge medicine at the UKW in the future. The northern extension will enable us to further expand the performance of Würzburg University Medicine in the coming decades," emphasises Professor Tim J. von Oertzen, Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of the UKW.

The UKW would like to thank all those who have contributed to this decision for the future: In addition to the Ministry of Science and the other ministries involved, this also includes numerous members of the state parliament who have contributed to this process. The decision of the budget committee in favour of clearing the construction site is a great boost for research, teaching and innovation as well as ensuring maximum university care in Lower Franconia and the neighbouring regions.

"We are very pleased about the great support from the Free State of Bavaria for this project. After an intensive planning phase, the first visible stage of the new building can soon be started with the development of the construction site," says Philip Rieger, Commercial Director of the UKW. He also thanks the Staatliches Bauamt Würzburg (State Building Authority) and the specialist departments of the UKW involved for their close collaboration on this mammoth project.

Prof Dr Matthias Frosch, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in Würzburg and member of the Board of the University Hospital of Würzburg, explains: "This decision is a further impetus to strengthen university medicine. The excellent development of Würzburg as a very strong biomedical research centre is thus once again confirmed."

Extensive development measures required for the new building

Before the first construction phase can start, extensive site clearance is required, for which the green light has now been given. This includes the construction of a replacement car park for the duration of the construction phase and an interim helipad, topsoil removal and partial excavation, the installation of transformer stations for the construction site power supply, the construction of construction roads outside the construction site and the laying of water and gas pipes. The project on the northern extension site of the UKW is one of the largest construction projects in Bavaria.

The relocation of the car parks and helipad is necessary as the future new building will be constructed on the areas currently used for this purpose. When these replacement areas are put into operation, the preliminary excavation work will begin. Once the first construction phase has been completed, the interim car parks will be removed and parking will once again be possible in the immediate vicinity of the clinic buildings.