Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site
A Short walk from the Sagrada Familia, the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site is one of the most interesting architectural and historical attractions in Barcelona.
Built at the start of the 20th century, the site comprises a total of 27 Art Nouveau buildings and was a working hospital as recently as 2009.
In 2014, after almost 5 years of extensive restoration work, the former hospital re-opened as an open-air museum where visitors can wander freely and enjoy the combination of unique architecture and tranquil surroundings.
Statue of Pau Gil
History of the Hospital de Sant Pau
The Hospital de la Santa Creu was founded in 1401 by the merger of six smaller medieval hospitals.
When wealthy banker Pau Gil Sarra died in 1896 he left 3,060,000 pesetas (approximately 19,000€) for the construction of a new public hospital.
In 1902 work began on a state of the art new hospital complex designed by architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. In 1916 the Hospital de la Santa Creu, now renamed as L’Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, transferred to the new location which was finally inaugurated by King Alfonso XIII in 1930.
The revolutionary new hospital comprised of 27 pavilions surrounded by gardens and interconnected by a system of tunnels that were used to transfer patients from operating rooms to the wards.
80 years later a new modern hospital was built in the north side of the grounds. When the new facilities were inaugurated in 2009 the old hospital closed and underwent extensive renovation works. Currently 12 of the pavilions have been painstakingly restored.
Main entrance hall in the Administration Pavilion
About the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site
In 2014 the complex re-opened as the Sant Pau Art Nouveau site, the largest of its kind anywhere in the world.
Currently six of the restored pavilions including the Administration Building, Sant Rafael Pavilion, Sant Jordi Pavilion and Operations Pavilion are open to the public.
Other buildings are used by organizations such as the World Health Organisation, Casa Asia, the United Nations and the European Forest Institute.
The Operations building
Visiting the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site
The visit begins in the system of underground tunnels which connect the buildings above. Ghostly black and white images projected on the white tiled walls portray how the passages were used to transport patients between the wards and the operating theatre.
Leaving the tunnels we enter the St Salvador Pavilion which contains a series of display boards explaining the history of the hospital and the work of Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
Throughout the visit you should make sure you look up frequently so as not to miss the decorated ceilings.
Ceiling above the main staircase, administration building.
Although not all of the pavilions are open to the public, you are free to explore the grounds and admire the exteriors which are decorated with statues and mosaics recounting the history of the hospital.
The letters PG appear frequently, a tribute to the hospital’s main benefactor Pau Gil.
One of the most impressive buildings is the central Operations Pavilion which includes an operating theatre with large windows and glass roof to maximise available light.
You should also make sure you take a look inside the Sant Rafael Pavilion which has been restored and furnished as it would have been during the 1920s complete with hospital beds and antique cast iron radiators.
Sant Salvador Pavilion
Finally, the jewel in the crown is the elegant Administration Pavilion which is the largest and most highly decorated of the buildings. Tiles and mosaics feature prominently in Catalan Modernism and Lluís Domènech i Montaner was a leading exponent. Even so, the variety designs in the Administration Pavilion is extraordinary.
The hospital grounds and some of the pavilions are occasionally used for private events, most of which take place in the evenings.
When this happens, some areas close earlier than normal.
If visiting during the afternoon, I recommend that you check with staff at the ticket desk on arrival to see whether any buildings will be closing early.
This Wikipedia page gives an introduction to the mosaics which can be seen throughout the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site.
Administration Building
Location
Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167, Barcelona
How to get there
The nearest metro stop is Sant Pau I Dos de Maig on the L5 blue line. Take the Cartagena exit from the metro station then walk 1 block uphill to the entrance.
The Barcelona City Tour bus stops by the main entrance. Stop number 12 on the grey line.
Opening hours
April – October:
Mon – Sat 09:30 – 18:30
Sundays and public holidays, 09:30 – 14:30
November – March:
Mon – Sat 09:30 – 16:30
Sundays and public holidays, 09:30 – 14:30
Decorative elements.
Sant Pau Art Nouveaux Site
Entry fee
Adults (30 and over) €15 (Guided tour €19.00)
Teens and young adults (12 – 29) €10.50 (Guided tour €13.30)
Children under 12 years FREE
Audio guide €3
Buy tickets online here>>
Discounts
50% discount with the Barcelona Modernism route guidebook (Ruta del Modernisme).
20% discount with the Barcelona Pass, Barcelona Card and Barcelona Card Express.
The Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site is one of 14 Art Nouveau sites in Barcelona and the surrounding area which are covered by the Barcelona Pass Modernista.
The site can be visited free of charge on the first Sunday of every month plus the following dates: Feb 12th, April 23rd, May 8th and Sept 24th. More information.
Information in English
Yes, there are display boards and leaflets in English as well as an English language audio guide.
Time needed to visit
You should allow approximately an hour and a half to visit the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site.
The guided tour lasts an hour and a quarter.
Iron gates in front of the main entrance
Other attractions nearby
Avinguda Gaudí
Parc de Les Aigües
The Sagrada Familia Basilica
Turó de la Rovira
Park Güell
Map
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau Tickets – Barcelona
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Combine Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau with other Barcelona favorites. Some things are better together.
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau reviews
4.8
640 verified customer reviews
502
124
11
1
2
Customer images
3 reviews
J
Janis,
United States
03 Apr 2023
Excellent
Don’t miss this! The architecture is amazing and the history is fascinating.
In a city focused on Gaudi, these buildings can get overlooked… You won’t be disappointed.
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site: Skip The Line
T
Tina,
Singapore
11 Apr 2023
Excellent
It was all good such an awesome place this is a must visit. It also came with a very knowledgeable guide & we met her with no problem.
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site Guided Tour
G
Georgie,
United Kingdom
17 Apr 2023
Interesting to learn about history of the hospital. Beautiful grounds and architecture.
some of the buildings were not open to the public
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site: Skip The Line
About: Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau is the masterpiece of architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, an avant-garde of the Catalan Modernisme movement. In the early 1900s, he envisioned a hospital that would not just heal the bodies of patients, but also their spirits.
The resulting Sant Pau Hospital is an Art Nouveau complex boasting 16 pavilions, tranquil gardens, mosaic art, domed ceilings, playful pastel walls, and polychromatic tiles. The building feels less like a hospital and more like a surreal place of healing. Underground tunnels that connect the individual buildings are also open to visitors.
Sant Pau
| Tuesday |
10:00 – |
| Wednesday |
10:00 – |
| Thursday |
10:00 – |
| Friday |
10:00 – |
| Saturday |
10:00 – |
| Sunday |
10:00 – |
| Monday |
10:00 – |
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau
Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025, Barcelona
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Peter’s BasilicaTickets: Sant Pau Modernist Ensemble, Barcelona
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Carefully selected combinations
Sant Pau Modernist Ensemble – Combine your visit with other popular Barcelona attractions.
Some things are worth putting together.
Sant Pau Modernist Ensemble – reviews
4.8
640 verified customer reviews
502
124
11
1
2
Customer photos
3 reviews
J
Janis,
United States
Apr 3
2023
Excellent
Don’t miss this! The architecture is amazing and the history is fascinating. In a city focused on Gaudi, these buildings can get overlooked… You won’t be disappointed.
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site: Skip The Line
T
Tina,
Singapore
Apr 11 2023
Excellent
It was all good such an awesome place this is a must visit.
It also came with a very knowledgeable guide & we met her with no problem.
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site Guided Tour
G
Georgie,
United Kingdom
17 Apr. 2023
Good
Interesting to learn about the history of the hospital. Beautiful grounds and architecture.
some of the buildings were not open to the public
Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site: Skip The Line
Modernist ensemble of Sant Pau: information
Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau is a masterpiece by architect Lluis Domènech i Montaner, avant-garde of the Catalan modernist movement. In the early 1900s, he conceived a hospital that would treat not only the bodies of patients, but also their spirits.
As a result, Sant Pau Hospital is an Art Nouveau complex with 16 pavilions, tranquil gardens, mosaic art, domed ceilings, playful pastel-coloured walls and multicolored tiles. The building looks less like a hospital and more like a surreal place of healing.
Underground tunnels connecting individual buildings are also open to visitors.
Sao Pau
| Tuesday |
10:00 – |
| Wednesday |
10:00 – |
| Thursday |
10:00 – |
| Friday |
10:00 – |
| Saturday |
10:00 – |
| Sunday |
10:00 – |
| Monday |
10:00 – |
Sant Pau Modernist Ensemble
Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona
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Antic monestir de Sant Pau del Camp in Barcelona
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Antic Monestir de Sant Pau del Camp is a former Benedictine monastery in Barcelona, which is one of the most ancient churches, as well as a masterpiece of preserved Romanesque architecture in the city.
In translation, the name of the monastery “Antic monestir de Sant Pau del Camp” means “Saint Paul in the countryside” or “in the fields”.
Today the church and the remains of the monastery can be visited.
The exact date of the original construction of the monastery is not known, but it is believed that it was founded by Count Wilfred II Borel of Barcelona (circa 874 – 911), since his tombstone was found in the monastery in 1596.
The monastery has been registered since 977.
Then the monastery stood far outside the city – in the fields of the countryside, which is the reason for its name “in the countryside”.
During its history, the monastery was twice destroyed and plundered, and then restored. Today’s monastery church building dates back to the 13th century.
In the 14th century, a new city wall was erected in Barcelona, bringing the monastery within the city limits.
Until 1835, the monastery performed its direct functions, and then, with the adoption by the government of the law on the confiscation of church lands, the monastery ceased its functions.
The monks left the city, and the church buildings were adapted for civil needs.
Today, the church and the chapter house, surrounded by a small courtyard, have survived from the monastery.
The church is built in Romanesque style and has a Gothic cross plan with one aisle. It has a transept with three apses and barrel vaults inside. The entrance doorway has two columns with ancient Visigothic marble capitals, and the tympanum depicts Christ in Majesty with Saints Paul and Peter.
The Abbots’ House was built in the 13th-14th and early 18th centuries.
In the chapter house (14th century) is the tomb of the alleged founder of the monastery, Wilfred II.
The interior of the monastery is simple and without rich decorations.
Today the monastery can be visited for a fee. Services, concerts, exhibitions and other events are also held in the monastery church.
Entrance to the courtyard of the monastery is free (free of charge).
Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp is located in the old town of Barcelona in the El Raval subdistrict, at : Carrer de Sant Pau, 99, 08001 Barcelona.
Coordinates of the Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp : 41°22’35.0″N 2°10’10.0″E (41.376389, 2.169444).
Website of the Monastery of Sant Pau del Camp : stpaudelcamp.blogspot.com.
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