Sant pau hospital: Visites: Tipus i Informació | Recinte Modernista Sant Pau Barcelona

Is the Barcelona Sant Pau Hospital museum worth it?

SANT PAU HOSPITAL – A MODERNIST HIDDEN GEM

In 1401 the City Council and the Bishopric of Barcelona agreed to unify the 6 existent hospitals of the city into one single facility. It was the origin of the Hospital de la Santa Creu (hospital of the Holy Cross), the second oldest hospital institution in Europe still active nowadays. Their headquarters were located in the Raval district, in a medieval building whose cloister is now a public garden, and some of its wings are now libraries. 

But in the 1800’s the population of Barcelona had grown a lot due to the industrial revolution and the immigrants coming to work in the factories. The hospital facilities were not enough to serve the city. At the end of the 1800’s the industrialist and philanthropist Pau Gil decided to make a large donation to promote the construction of a new hospital in the Eixample District that was starting to be built outside of the old town. His only condition was to add the name of his patron saint, Saint Paul, to the name of the hospital. That’s how the Hospital de la Santa Creu became the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, although locals prefer to use “Santa Creu” to refer to the medieval building and “Sant Pau” for the modernist enclosure and the modern hospital facilities.

The architect Domenech i Muntaner was assigned its design, and for that he travelled to visit the leading sanitary facilities in Europe, learning about the newest hygiene trends. He planned a mini-city of 48 pavilions, and teamed up with the best artists of the time to decorate them according to the Modernisme style that was in vogue at the time. The construction works started in 1902, and the first patients arrived in 1916, even if the official innauguration wouldn’t be until 1930.

The dream of building 48 pavilions was never fulfilled, and only less than half were finally completed. With the years, the pavilions were altered to add divisions and mezzanines due to the lack of space. By 1990 the need of modern facilities was evident, and the local institutions got together to plan the project. It would occupy the backside of the modernist enclosure, facing Ronda Guinardó. In the meantime, in 1997 the Hospital de Sant Pau (Recinte Modernista) together with another work by Domenech i Muntaner, the Palau de la Musica Catalana, were declared Human Heritage by UNESCO and the restoration of the pavilions started. The new Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau moved to the new headquarters in 2003.

Exterior façade of the Hospital de Sant Pau

The entrance to the Hospital de Sant Pau modernista is made from the corner of Cartagena and Sant Antoni Maria Claret, which is also where ends Avinguda Gaudi. Three elegant wrought iron gates give entrance to the encloser. The central gate is flanked by 2 groups of three columns holding the coats of arms of the City of Barcelona and the Barcelona Cathedral, founders of the Hospital de la Santa Creu. To the left of the gates stands another column with the sculpture of Saint Paul, and the the right another column supports a Cross – for the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.

As you cross the door, a staircase leads to the Administration Pavilion, and in the middle of the staircase there’s a fountain with the bust of Pau Gil, the donor and promotor of the construction of the modernist hospital. The pavilion is built in V shape, with an impressive central façade and two wings. The entrance to the pavilion is made through three arched doors, which are sided by 4 sculptures: the three Christian Theological Vertues (Faith, Hope and Charity), plus one more virtue added by Domenech i Muntaner: “Action”. 

In the center of the façade there’s two angels holding the coat of arms of the Hospital de la Santa Creu, flanked by 6 saints (three females and three males). The building is crowned with a spire featuring a clock, inspired in the medieval belltowers. That gives the pavilion the aspect of a monastery or an old university or Catholic private school rather than a hospital. As for the two wings, their outside is more simple, just decorated with rows of windows and some mosaics about the history of the hospital located in the edges of the estructure.

Hypostyle room and underground tunnels

The entrance to the Hospital de Sant Pau Recinte Modernista is made through the side door on the street level of the right wing (on the left wing there used to be a tapas bar, but it closed with the pandemic). After buying your tickets or getting them scanned if you bought them only (which is recommended to avoid wasting time), you access the hypostyle hall, a room with columns that acts as the basement of the Administration Pavilion.

The Hypostyle room connects with the network of underground tunnels that connect with the different pavilions. They were used by the hospital staff, and at one point even ambulances came in. It’s almost 1km (about half a mile) of underground tunnels! The visit takes you through the central tunnel before taking a detour to the right, to enter the Pavilion of Sant Salvador from its basement.

Pavilion of Sant Salvador

The Pavilion of Sant Salvador (Holy Savior) was the first one to receive patients, back in 1916. Interestingly enough, even if it had been designed to house the male surgery patients, the first patients that were transferred from the medieval headquarters of the Hospital de la Santa Creu were women. When the first male patients started to arrive, the women were transferred to the pavilion of La Purissima, across the garden.

TAKE OUR PRIVATE MODERNIST EIXAMPLE AND SANT PAU HOSPITAL TOUR

Nowadays it hosts a museum exhibit about the hospital with models of the hospital and a giant structure, vaguely resembling a dragon shape, made of images of the works of the architect Domenech i Muntaner, and references to his political involvement and his career teaching at the architecture school of the University of Barcelona (did you know that Antoni Gaudi was actually one of his students?)

Gardens of the Hospital de Sant Pau

The central gardens of the hospital structure the organization of the pavilions: to the right those for the male patients, and to the left, those for the females. Actually, the ones to the right are named after male saints, and the ones to the left after female saints or virgins. The gardens were a vital part of the project, as Domenech i Muntaner believed that the contact with nature helped in the healing process, and the plants were chosen for their medicinal properties.

Also, from the gardens it’s easy to realize that the pavilions are not structured following the rest of the structure of the Eixample district, but diagonally to it: that was made in purpose to maximize the sun exposition as well as the sea breeze, that purified the air.

This is where during the Christmas season they organize a Christmas Lights Garden.

Surgery Pavilion (Casa d’Operacions)

In the center of the garden stands the Surgery Pavilion, dedicated to the patron saints of Medicine Saint Damien and Saint Cosmas (depicted on mosaics by the windows of the façade). The blue mosaics on top of the balcony and under gothic arches list the names of prominent Catalan doctors.

Go around the pavilion to find the back door that gives you access to Surgery Theater: a semi-circular room with windows all around them and grades around a central table. This was the place where operations took place: the windows allowed for sunlight, in times when electricity wasn’t a reliable source of light and the surgeries had to take place during daytime. The grades around the surgery table allowed medicine students to attend for educational purposes.

The surgery room has two adjacent rooms, one in each side, one was the anesthesia room, the other the post-operations room. In them you can see displayed some surgery instruments used in the early 1900’s. On the second floor there were two more surgery rooms (the windows can be seen from outside) and the third floor had labs and water sterilization machines.

Pavilion of Sant Rafael

This pavilion has been restored to recreate how it would have looked like in its original state. At the entrance, one of the circular ward was used by patients to receive visitors, or just to spend their time seating on a rocking chair and looking through the window, specially if it was too cold to be outside or they weren’t fit to walk. The bottom of the pavilion has been set up with replicas of the original beds lined up along the walls.

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There were no partitions: the pavilions were communal dormitories. Domenech i Muntaner was involved in the design of the beds and other pieces of furniture. He even indicated the number of paint layers that needs to be used on the beds. This was the last pavilion built in life of Domenech i Muntaner – after his death it was his son who continued the works. Interestingly, unlike the other pavilions decorated with Ps and Gs for Pau Gil (the Hospital promotor), this one is decorated with Rs in the walls, for Mr. Rafael Rabell, one of the most important donors to the project.

The pavilion also displays a museum exhibit about the history of the Sant Pau Hospital (Barcelona, Spain), with panels with information as well as pictures and old medical instruments. As you exit it, look up to see the sculpture of the archangel Sant Raphael: it’s a portrait of one of the sons of Domenech i Muntaner, who died young at the age of 23 years old during the construction of the hospital.

Convent

At the end of the gardens stands another building, that is actually three bodies linked by bridges. The central body was the convent where the nuns that worked as nurses at the hospital used to live. They were the main work force at the hospital in the old times, as there were very few doctors. The left wing was the hospital pharmacy, and the one to the right were the kitchens. This building was added by Domenech i Muntaner’s son Peter in the 1920’s.

Other pavilions not open to the public

Not all the pavilions along the gardens are open to the public. As you make your way back to the Administration Pavilion, take your time to admire their architecture from outside. They look similar, but each of them is different: different types of arches, different domes, different sculptures, different tile colors… Modernism didn’t repeat itself, and that shows in the Santa Pau Hospital! Here is some information about the pavilions that you can’t enter:

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LEFT SIDE (Female pavilions)

• Pavilion of  Santa Apolonia. First starting from the Administration Pavilion. Together with its twin, the pavilion of Saint Georges, they are the smallest pavilions of the Hospital de Sant Pau in Barcelona. It’s currently used for temperary exhibits and it’s closed to the public when there’s no exhibit on show.
• Pavilion of Our Lady of El Carme. Second to the left. Currently being restored.
• Pavilion of Our Lady of La Mercè. Third to the left. It is currently used as headquarters of international institutions.
• Pavilion of Our Lady of Montserrat. Last to the left before the Convent. Closed to the public.

RIGHT SIDE (Male pavilions)

• Pavilion of Saint Georges (Sant Jordi). First from the right, starting from the Administration Pavilion. Just as its twin, the Pavilion of Santa Apolonia, it is used for temporary exhibits and only open when there’s an exhibit going on.
• Pavilion of Sant Leopold. Third to the right. Currently housing headquarters of various institutions. The pavilion was named after a nephew of Pau Gil, Leopold Gil, and the saint crowning the entrance is a portrait of him.
• Pavilion of Sant Manel. Fifht and last to the right. This pavilion is also used as offices of various international institutions.

Administration Pavilion

As you enter, you are welcomed by the entrance hall, dotted with columns that support a pink dome with coats of arms and symbols: the cross of the Cathedral of Barcelona and the Cross of Saint George (representing the City Council), a sword (symbol of Saint Paul), lions (symbol of the bank owned by Pau Gil), and fleurs de lis (because Pau Gil imported hospital trends from Paris), and the years of construction (1905-1910).

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Take the grand staircase to the left, presided by a esculpture of Saint Martin of Tours on a horse. He represents charity, as a reminder that the Hospital de la Santa Creu was a hospital for the poor. As you walk up, you’ll be mesmerized at the gorgeous stained glass skylight and the impressive wrought iron lamp. Take first the corridor to the left, taking you to the central part of the building. From the windows you’ll see a great view of Sagrada Familia. 

In front of the windows, there’s the door leading to the Domenech i Muntaner room, that preserves the original decoration. There’s a painting about how  the remains of Saint Eulalia, patron saint of Barcelona, were taken from the church of Santa Maria del Mar to the Cathedral. The words on the balcony translate as “Lord, protect the benefactors of this house, in heaven as on earth”.

Retrace your steps to the stairs, and now take the corridor going on the opposite direction. Along it there’s offices, some currently in use, some freed of furniture so you can see their original looks. At the end of the corridor you’ll reach the conference room from its second floor, the best place to admire its tiled ceiling.

Walk down the stairs to reach the ground level, then exit through the corridor that takes back to the entrance hall. It’s lined up with colorful stained glass windows in one side and more offices in the other. The visit is over: to exit you’ll have to go back to the gardens, and walk down the slope on the right. The exit is through a gift shop in the basement of this wing of the Administration Pavilion, right were you started.

Pavilions outside of Sant Pau Recinte Modernista

There’s a handful of pavilions that are outside the Hospital de Sant Pau Recinte Modernista. They weren’t originals from Domenech i Muntaner’s times and that’s why they were not included in the monumental enclosure. But in case you are curious, it’s the following ones:

• Chapel of the Hospital. Facing Sant Antoni Maria Claret street, it is still used as a parish church. Designed by Domenech i Muntaner, his son had to modify the original project after the architect’s death due to economical restraints. The result is less monumental, but preserves the idea of a chapel open to the street so it can be accessed without having to cross the hospital area. To one side there’s a wing used by the friars that worked for the hospital (known as the “seminar” even if technically it wasn’t one), the other for the priests. Pere Domenech also attached to the right a small pavilion (Sant Roc), that housed a parking with a weighbridge for the delivery trucks.
• Pavilions of Sant Frederic, Santa Victoria and Sant Antoni. Accessed from a gate to the right of the Chapel, they are are now used for offices of different departments of the modern Barcelona Hospital de Sant Pau. Sant Frederic and Santa Victoria were built by Pere Domenech although planned initially by his father. The pavilion of Santa Victoria was actually designed by Domenech i Muntaner when it was clear that the original project of 48 pavilions wasn’t going to happen, so it has no “twin”, it has a much more humble architectural style not aligned with the others, and it occupies a space that was originally destined for other non-medical facilities. Sant Antoni was designed and built by Pere Domenech in 1932, but it’s suffered many alterations to adapt it to medical uses.
• Casa de la Convalescencia. Corner of Sant Antoni Maria Claret and Sant Quinti streets. The Convalescence House was an institution related to the medieval Hospital de la Santa Creu, that wasn’t originally going to move to the new hospital facilities. But once the ambitious original project was abandoned, the land available encouraged them to come. Domenech i Muntaner designed for them what many consider one of the last modernist buildings in Barcelona, even if it was executed by his son after he died. The building consists of two wards, one for male patients and one for females, united by a central chapel. Each ward had communal dormitories as well as private rooms with access to the gardens. They also had separate kitchens and bathrooms for each ward. The building is currently occupied by the Autonomous University of Barcelona. The side of the ward facing Sant Quintí street has a bar accessible from the street.
• Pavilion of Our Lady of the Assumpció. Access via a gate on Cartagena street and through the road that from Sant Antoni Maria Claret goes around the back of the Recinte Modernista. Twin of the pavilion of Sant Frederic, they are the two modernist pavilions that Pere Domenech built in the style of the ones designed by his father: the rest of his projects are considered eclectic style. In the 1960’s the building had become a urology clinic, the Fundacio Puigverd, and due to the need of more space the pavilion was altered and modern extensions were attached to it.

Planning your visit to the Hospital de Sant Pau Interior

Address: C/ de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025 Barcelona (Spain). Get directions from Googlemaps.
Website: http://www.santpaubarcelona.org/
Closest subway station: Sant Pau | Dos de Maig (L5, blue)
Closest Tourist Bus stop: Cartagena, 325-329. Get your tickets here.
Opening hours: Every day from 10AM to 5PM (April to October until 6.30PM)

Will you be visiting the Sant Pau Hospital Museum on your next trip?

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AUTHOR BIO

Marta is the founder of ForeverBarcelona. She is a passionate tour guide that loves Barcelona and loves writing too. She is the main author of our Blog, and is committed to sharing her knowledge about Barcelona and her best tips with our readers.

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Check out the awe-inspiring Hospital De Sant Pau, Barcelona

Would you ever think of a hospital as ‘awe-inspiring’ for its architecture and design? I wouldn’t!

But the former Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona is in a class of its own. Its the most beautiful hospital I’ve ever seen. It’s no surprise that it is designated as a UNESCO world heritage site. Its so beautiful that patients would feel better just being in this gorgeous hospital. More importantly, they say that patient care was exceptional at the hospital. The hospital has been part of the Catalan and Barcelona story for the last 6 centuries, being an integral part of its modernization, innovations, and growth. It is a place of pride for Catalonia and Catalonian history.

Most recently, Hospital De Sant Pau was architected by the famous public figure of Barcelone – Lluís Domènech i Montaner. He designed the building in the modernisme style. Lluís Domènech i Montaner was a leading intellectual and policymaker. His influence in Barcelona was immense at the turn of the 20th century. Just as the original hospital is a landmark in the secular Gothic architecture, Hospital De Sant Pau is a tribute to the Modernisme Catalan Art Nouveau.

Contents

• Scaled model of Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
• Hypostyle Hall
• Underground Hospital Hallways
• Sant Salvador Pavilion
• Nostra Senyora de la Mercè Pavilion
• Sant Rafael Pavilion
• Sant Leopold Pavillion
• Sant Manuel Pavillion
• Hospital Sant Pau, end Building
• Operations House in Hospital de Sant Pau
• Santa Apol·lònia Pavillion
• The Administrative Pavillion
• Lluis Domenech i Montaner – The Architect and Visionary
• Milestones Dates in the History of Sant Pau Hospital
• Extended Campus
• Contact Information

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The majestic entrance to Hospital de Sant Pau, a street view of the hospital.

After being an active hospital for 600 years, the hospital departments have been moved to newer buildings nearby. Today, the complex is restored to its original glory and several structures have been converted to exhibitions and galleries about the hospital, art, and culture of Catalonia.

To visit the hospital, we bought our tickets to the right of the main entrance from the street. The self-guided discovery tour starts at an exhibition hall and galleries that then lead to underground hallways, which then emerge into Sant Salvador pavilion, then to the outdoors.

Scaled model of Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona

As the scaled model of Hospital De Sant Pau shows below, the hospital has an imposing building at the entrance, with a beautiful hospital complex behind it. Each building used to house one or more departments. The buildings (pavilions) open to a central area in the middle and are also connected by underground passages.

A scaled model of Hospital De Sant Pau

As can be seen in the model, the hospital has a symmetric, rectangular layout, bookended by two large buildings – a dominating entrance (Administrative hall) and a large brown building at the end. Perpendicular to the main building is a long outdoor courtyard, lined by 4 rectangular pavilions on each side, the operations house in the center and spiral staircases leading into the underground hallways.

The pavilion buildings look symmetric and very much the same from a distance, but if you look closer, you’ll notice that each of the pavilions has its own distinct character, each design symbolizing something unique about the story of the pavilion.

Hypostyle Hall

We started our walk with the Hypostyle Hall. It has a majestic feel with its large brick columns as if in a castle. It was originally a distribution and carriage arrival hall. In 1900, the Hypostyle Hall was converted into the hospital’s Emergency Department.

Hypostyle HallHospital Sant Pau – Hypostyle Hall sign

Underground Hospital Hallways

The architecturally stunning structures above ground, are connected via underground hallways. The first part of the tour goes through these hallways until you emerge into the Sant Salvador Pavilion exhibition center.

The hospital under the ground is just as awe-inspiring as above ground. The hospital has 1 kilometer of underground hallways! The halls and hallways underground are lined with exhibitions.

Hospital Sant Pau underground exhibition hall

The hallways that are not used as exhibition halls have their own charm with their clean lines and off-white tile designs.

Immaculate underground hallways connect the pavilions in the hospital, perfect for all weather.

Sant Salvador Pavilion

Some of the pavilions have been converted to exhibition halls that display the tools of the trade, history and recreated spaces of the original hospital. It’s amazing to see how well the elite Catalonian hospital was managed and it’s inspiring to see how beautiful a hospital could be.

Sant Salvador Pavilion, now converted to an exhibition hall with a section devoted to the original hospital bed layout.An exhibit in Hospital de Sant Pau A section replicated to show how the hospital beds were laid out in one of the pavilions. An exhibit in Hospital Sant Pau in Barcelona.

Fun facts about Sant Salvador Pavilion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Financed by: Banker Pau Gil.

Year of Construction: 1902-1918.

Size 1,529 sq meters.

Restored by: Àgata Boixader and Ramon Ferrando.

Present Day Use: Barcelona’s Art Nouveau Information Center and a cultural space.

Most Recent Hospital Use: Intensive Care Unit and Semi-critical Patients.

Hospital San Pau – San Salvador Pavilion sign

Nostra Senyora de la Mercè Pavilion

Currently used as the WHO Barcelona office, the Nostra Senyora de la Mercè pavilion was once the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Another one of the six pavilions in Hospital de Sant Pau

Fun facts about Nostra Senyora de la Mercè Pavilion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner

Year of Construction: 1902-1911.

Restored by: Josep Emili Hernàndez-Cros and Mercè Zazurca.

Size: 1.473 sq meters.

Present Day Use: WHO Barcelona office.

Most Recent Hospital Use:  Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Sant Rafael Pavilion

Sant Rafael Pavilion is a legacy of Rafael Rabell and hence the dedication to his name. He donated part of his fortune to fund the construction of this pavilion.

One of the six pavilions in Hospital Sant Pau

Fun Facts about Sant Rafael Pavilion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Year of Construction: 1914-1918.

Present Day Use: Exhibition Space.

Primary Donor: Rafael Rabell.

Hospital San Pau sign about Sant Rafael Pavilion

Sant Leopold Pavillion

Fun Facts about Sant Leopold Pavillion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Year of Construction: 1903-1918.

Size: 1,571 sq meters.

Restored by:

• Ramon Calonge consolidated the structure and restored facades, domes, and terraces.
• Xavier Guitart restored and upgraded the interior.

Present Day Use: Office of the European Forest Institute, UN-HABITAT and GUNI.

Most Recent Hospital Use: 

• Internal Medicine
• Dermatology
• Teaching
• Coordinating Organ Donation and
• Tissue Bank

Sant Manuel Pavillion

Located toward the far end of the complex, the gorgeous Sant Manuel pavilion now serves as the headquarters of the United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility, and Casa Àsia.

One of the two larger buildings at the other end of the courtyard. These are not open for viewing.

Fun Facts about Sant Manuel Pavillion

Architects: Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Pere Domènech i Roura.

Year of Construction: 1922-1925.

Builtup Area: 2,563 sq meters.

Restored by: Víctor Argentí, Albert Casals and José Luis González.

Present Day Use: Headquarters of the United Nations University Institute on Globalization, Culture and Mobility, and Casa Àsia.

Most Recent Hospital Use: General Surgery Department.

A reference hospital of the 20th Century

Hospital Sant Pau, end Building

The building at the end of the courtyard.

Operations House in Hospital de Sant Pau

The Operations House is located in the center of the Hospital Sant Pau complex in Barcelona. Most recently, the Operations House was used as the General Surgery Department.

One more look at the main building from inside the courtyard. The white circular structures are staircase opening that lead to the underground hallways.

Fun Facts about the Operations House

Architects: Lluís Domènech i Montaner and Pere Domènech Roura.

Year of Construction: 1902-1911.

Builtup Area: 1,476 m2.

Restored by:

• Isabel Rodón consolidated the structure, restored the facades and roofs, and demolished non-original interior elements.
• Ramón Godó restored the interior of the underground (-1) floor.

Most Recent Hospital Use: General Surgery Department.

Santa Apol·lònia Pavillion

Fun Facts about Santa Apol·lònia Pavillion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Year of Construction: 1902-1911.

Built area: 212 sq meters.

Restored by: Xavier Guitart.

Present Day Use: Exhibitions.

Last healthcare use: Dentistry.

The Administrative Pavillion

The charming administrative pavilion, with pink ceiling tiles, has been used for many administrative and hospital functions. While once it was the admission center for surgeries, now it is home to the foundation offices and used for events. On our hospital visit, the administrative pavilion was the last stop before we exit the complex.

Inside the main building, the beautiful pink colors remind me of the color of the inside of a healthy body.

Fun Facts about The Administrative Pavillion

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Year of Construction: 1905-1910.

Restored by: Joan Nogué.

Size: 6,840 sq meters.

Most Recent Hospital Use: The building has seen many uses when the hospital was in us, such as –

• Hospitalization Admissions
• Department of Occupational Health
• Customer Care
• Historical Archive offices and
• Finance Department

Present Day Use: Today the building is used by Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau Private Foundation. It is also a center for Cultural events and Historical Archives.

Elegant interiors of the main hall.One last look at the main entrance at the Administrative Pavilion of Hospital de Sant Pau.

Lluis Domenech i Montaner – The Architect and Visionary

Lluis Domenech i Montaner (1849-1923) became a renowned figure in Catalonia at the turn of the 20th century. He was recognized for his dedication to the Catalan nationalism movement, academic learning, and most importantly, his architectural creations. His work is a good representation of the Modernisme style in Barcelona and Catalonia, alongside famous architects of their times, such as Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) and Josep Puig I Cadafalch (1867-1956).

Lluis Domenech i Montaner’s illustrious career was characterized by famous architectural marvels of Barcelona like –

• Palau de la Música (1905-1908)
• Institut Mental Pere Mata in Reus (1897-1919), a project which inspired the ‘garden city’ concept that he applied to Sant Pau.
• Barcelona World Exhibition, supervised by Lluis Domenech i Montaner.
• The stunning Hospital de Sant Pau.

In addition to famous icons of architecture, Lluis Domenech i Montaner was an important public figure holding many key positions in Barcelona, such as

• President of the Unió Catalanista.
• One of the fathers of the Bases de Manresa (a program for regional autonomy of Catalonia).
• The first Chairman of the Ateneu Barcelonès.
• Member of the Reial Acadèmia Provincial de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi (1901).
• Member of parliament for Barcelona at the Madrid Cortes (1903).

By the time he was commissioned to build the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, he was a prominent resident of Barcelona, at the height of his distinguished political and public career.

Lluis Domenech i Montaner was born in Barcelona, dedicated is life’s work to the city and the region, and passed away in Barcelona at the age of 74 still working at the Hospital Sant Pau site. After his life, his son, Pere Domènech i Roura carried forth is work and legacy as an architect and a scholar.

The main building view from inside the hospital courtyard.

Milestones Dates in the History of Sant Pau Hospital

Following are some key milestones in the story of Hospital De Sant Pau

• 1401: Hospital De La Santa Creu was founded as a general hospital for the Catalan project.
• 1902-1918: Sant Salvador pavilion was the first pavilion to open in Hospital De La Santa I Sant Pau.
• 1902-1911: Nostra Senyora de la Mercè Pavillion, Santa Apol·lònia Pavillion, Sant Jordi Pavillion, and Operations House were built.
• 1903-1918: Sant Leopold Pavillion was built.
• 1905-1910: The Administrative Pavilion was built.
• 1916: Sant Salvador pavilion, a pavilion intended for men, received its first female patients, that were transferred from Hospital de la Santa Crue.
• 1922-1925: Sant Manuel Pavillion was built.
• 1976: First bone marrow transplant was done in Hospital San Pau.
• 1984: First successful heart transplant was done in Hospital San Pau.
• 1990s: Hypostyle Hall was converted from a distribution and carriage arrival hall into an Emergency department.
• 1991: Sant Pau hospital was awarded St. George’s Cross by the Generalitat de Catalunya.
• 2003: The new hospital building was built to the north of the Domènech i Montaner’s Modernista pavilions. Most departments relocated to the new buildings.
• 2009: Relocation was completed and the hospital was no longer used as a hospital.
• 2014: hospital de Sant Pau reopened after extensive restorations as a cultural center and museum.

Extended Campus

The Hospital de Sant Pau is a small campus within the larger working hospital. We saw hospital staff walking about on this holiday and some that look like students. Here are pictures of a few other buildings on the larger campus.

One of the buildings around the museum, possibly a department of the current hospital.Many of the builds are adorned by beautiful art.We strolled among the buildings in the complex next door, each one made exquisite detail and beautiful architecture.

Contact Information

Address: Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Carrer de Sant Quintí 89, Barcelona, Spain,

Telephone: +34 932 91 90 00

Hospital Website

Tip: The Sant Pau hospital is a straight line walking distance from La Sagrada Familia. So, best to schedule your visit to the hospital before or after La Sagrada Familia. There are many food choices on the walk between the two. We ate some amazing empanadas after our visit to Sant Pau hospital, on the walk to La Sagrada Familia.

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UNESCO World Heritage in Spain: Hospital Sant Pau

St. Paul’s Hospital is a hospital complex in Barcelona designed by the Catalan modernist architect Luis Domenech y Montaner. Together with the Palace of Catalan Music, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ensemble of hospital buildings was built in 1901-1930. in the Barcelona district of El Guinardó and opened with the participation of King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Money for the construction of the Sant Pau hospital complex was bequeathed by the Catalan financier Pau Gil (Paú Gil).

Although the current building dates from the 20th century, St. Paul’s Hospital itself was founded in 1401 when six medieval hospitals in Barcelona were united. In 1991, she was awarded the Cross of St. George. The hospital functioned until June 2009, after which it was closed for refurbishment into a cultural center and museum at the UN.

According to his will, the hospital should be named after him and correspond to the best architectural and technological solutions of that time. It is believed that the Art Nouveau buildings built by Luis Domènech y Montaner were ahead of their time. The architect divided the hospital into departments united by underground passages. In 2003, new ones were erected to the north of the old buildings.

The hospital complex is located in the central pedestrian part of Gaudí Avenue, occupies a huge territory and consists of 48 unique buildings located in specially landscaped areas, where both patients of the hospital and anyone who wants can freely walk.

The hospital complex impresses not only with its scale, but also with the beauty and majesty of its execution. The architect planned to build not just hospital wards, but as many as 26 special pavilions in the Mudéjar style, in the underground part of which there are service rooms, the interiors of which are decorated with columns, vaulted ceilings, ceramic tiles, original mosaics, decor, stained glass windows and sculptures.

St. Cross and St. Paul is one of the oldest medical institutions not only in Spain and Catalonia, but throughout Europe, in 2001 it celebrated its 600th anniversary. Indeed, the beginning of its activities dates back to 1401, when 6 hospitals that existed at that time in Barcelona merged. And by the end of the 19th century, the need arose for the territorial expansion of the hospital, and soon the construction of the now famous complex began.

Mosaics and ceramics of domes, facades and interiors

The hospital is also known for its charitable Christian mission – ministry the poor and pilgrims. These principles are followed to this day. Today, the institution positions itself as a “hospital open to people”

The hospital building was fully functional until 2009, and there were also guided tours on its territory. The buildings are currently being restored with a view to its subsequent use as a museum and cultural center. In 2003, a new hospital building was built.

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The architect wanted to create a unique hospital complex atmosphere that would energize patients and make them recover faster. Among the numerous artists and sculptors who helped create this architectural masterpiece, Eusebi Arnau made a special contribution, who worked fruitfully in many areas.

The history of the hospital began in 1401, although then it was located in a different place – in the Raval district – and had a shorter name – the Santa Creu Hospital (El Hospital de la Santa Creu). For almost 500 years, something has constantly interfered with bringing the maximum benefit to the people and taking a leading position in the urban healthcare system. There was not enough money, there was not enough space, there was not enough flexibility of the mind of the administration of the hospital, half consisting of representatives of the church. And somehow the population grew too fast and for some reason it got sick too often.

At the end of the 19th century, money was found: the famous banker and philanthropist Pau Gil died and part of his fortune bequeathed to the city for a new hospital, which he asked to be named after himself. Then it was decided to put an end to the old building (now the library of Catalonia is located there) and to allocate a large plot of land for construction near the northern border of the Eixample.

I ventured to assume that when the local Minister of Health recognized the name of the one who was instructed to lead the project, he instantly fell into deep depression, because he realized the whole generation of construction until the end of the construction simply would not survive. Luis Domenech-i-Montaner at that time already had the fame of an outstanding architect and a consistent modernist, and the Art Nouveau style, as you know, involves very painstaking work on every detail of both the external appearance and the interior of the building, so all the great masters of this architectural trend were incorrigible cops.

Having received 9 hectares of land, Louis Domenech swung in earnest: in the project there were already 48 pavilions. As a result, only 27 were built, of which 12 were implemented by the maestro himself between 1902 and 1913, and his son Pere (Pere Domènech i Roura) worked on the remaining 15. Construction dragged on for a long 28 years and ended in 1930.

Louis Domènech wanted to build not a hospital, but a city within a city, which, in case of invasion, for example, by the Arabs, a West Goth or a Martian could function normally completely independently of Barcelona: the original project had streets, gardens , a system of its own water supply, a library and, to top it all off, a church and a monastery – you never know which one will make a diagnosis. According to the plan, each patient from 9 hectares of the total area was supposed to have at least 145 square meters, which more than exceeded all the standards that existed at that time in Europe.

In many hospital complexes, individual buildings are somehow connected with each other, Sant Pau is no exception, the length of the hospital’s underground passages exceeds a kilometer.

By separating men and women, Domenech did not revolutionize hospital care, but the way in which gender segregation is implemented at the Sant Pau hospital deserves attention. The pavilions located on the right are male: San Jordi, San Salvador, San Manuel, San Rafael, San Leopold – each building in the right row is named after a saint representing the strong half of humanity.

The left lane is given to the beautiful half: Carma, Merce, Purissima, Montserrat, Santa Apolinaria. The fighters for gender equality can sleep peacefully: the “male” and “female” houses facing each other are almost identical, the difference can only be found in the sculptures and frescoes that adorn their facades. Located along the central axis, the operating theater and administration of the hospital are unisex buildings.

In the second half of the 20th century, the hospital’s economy grew with several new buildings, the most significant of which is the Institute of Urology. In addition to the actual treatment, in Sant Pau, students of the medical faculties of the university were also trained.

separate the daily routine of protecting and restoring the health of citizens from spiritual enlightenment. In 2003, the construction of a new modern hospital began on a neighboring plot of land, which, after 6 years, took all the patients from the modernist pavilions into its wards and made it possible to begin restoration, the impressive results of which we are now enjoying.

Hospital fence medallions I

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After four years of restoration, the Sant Pau Hospital (official name in Catalan: El Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau), a grandiose project by the Catalan modernist architect Luis Domènech, has opened its doors to the general public. Despite the fact that only 6 out of 12 pavilions are completely ready, almost all of the remaining 6 can be viewed from the outside and what you see will be quite enough for a state of deep cultural shock.

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Address Hospital Santa Creu and Sant Pau Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167 on the map

Phone +34 933 177 652. Guided tours: +34 902 076 621

Working hours Daily from 10-00 to 14-00 (information office). Weekends – 25 and 26 December and 1 and 6 January.
Ticket price The entrance to the territory is free. Excursions accompanied by a guide – 5 euros.
Official website http://www.rutadelmodernisme.com
Metro Line L5, Hospital de Sant Pau, Metro line L4, Guinardó
Bus 15, 19, 20, 45, 47, 50, 51 and 92

Some photo:http://redigo.ru/geo/,http://ru-travel.livejournal.com/[/more]

Tags: art and culture, history

Hospital of the Holy Cross and St.

Paul

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Mikhail Schwartz
July 15, 2016

The Sant Pau Hospital Complex is an excellent medical institution whose value is never limited to medical activities. This unique modernist building is of great architectural value.

The courtyard of the hospital complex (photo: cpcmollet)

The Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul (Hospital de la Santa reu i Sant Pau) is located near the famous Sagrada Familia, you just need to climb up the hill along Gaudi Avenue. This is the southernmost residential area of ​​​​Barcelona – Horta Guinardo (Horta-Guinardó).

The huge complex was built from 1902 to 1930 according to the rational design of the talented master Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It was based on rather bold decisions: to build twelve complexes on the sunny side, to place corridors, offices and laboratories underground, to create pavilions in the Mudéjar style.

The construction of the complex was completed under the direction of the architect’s son in 1930. By this time, the treatment center already had 27 pavilions, plus the main administrative building.

The magnificent St. Paul’s Hospital impresses with its architectural decoration. Numerous buildings are built of red brick and elegantly decorated with statues, bas-reliefs, beautiful decor of multi-colored ceramic tiles. Looking at such beauty, it is hard to believe that these are medical buildings of the hospital.

The interior of the buildings is not inferior to their external beauty. Not even embarrassed by the presence of the necessary functional elements of the hospital. The interior contains interesting ornamental patterns, sculptures and mosaics.

Scheme of the Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul (photo: Amadalvarez)

The Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul can be called a “City within a city” with its streets, gardens, church, monastery, water supply.

The architect Domenic Montanera wanted to create a place where illness would not seem like such a serious illness. And he succeeded! On the territory of the hospital there is a park garden with medicinal and aromatic plants that contribute to recovery. The successful construction principle of the hospital allows sunlight to penetrate the complex, preventing the spread of disease.

You don’t even know how the patients who were treated here agreed to be discharged from here… Luxurious wards-palaces surrounded by “Gardens of Eden” – who wants to leave here?

Sant Pau Hospital today

Sant Pau Hospital with new buildings in the background (photo: Książę der Estken)

Currently, the Hospital complex functions more like a museum, the Sant Pau Hospital itself moved to new buildings in 2009, built in the northern part of the architectural ensemble.

Its territory now hosts many organizations whose activities are of an educational, scientific and cultural nature.

This building is one of the top 10 Art Nouveau buildings in Barcelona. See my selection here.

Hospital Sant Pau opening hours:

	November to March	April to October
Mon-Sat	10:00 – 16:30	10:00 – 18:30
Sun and holidays	10:00 – 14:30	10:00 – 14:30
	November to March	April to October

Closed: January 1st and 6th, December 25th and 26th.

Ticket price:

• entrance ticket – €10 (includes brochure with description and historical background in Russian)
• free days: February 12, April 23, May 8, September 24 and the first Sunday of every month.

How to get to the Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul?

• metro L5 to Sant Pau | Dos de Maig;
• by metro L4 to Guinardó | Hospital de Sant Pau;
• by bus H8, 19, 20, 45, 47, 50, 51, 92, 117, 192 to the Sant Antoni Maria Claret-Dos de Maig stop.