A Hospital You Wouldn’t Want To Leave

Last Updated on May 18 , 2020 by acrossthewaterwithchelsita

“So, what did you do at the weekend?”

“Had an amazing time at an old hospital!”

Sounds like I need to get my head checked. However, in this week’s post, I’m going to explain why Hospital de Santa Creu i Sant Pau is an absolute must-see.

Sagrada Familia, Parc Güell, Casa Batlló… If you are a fan of Modernism, history, or just want some enviable Instagram photos, I’m sure you’ll have visited them, or if not, they’ll at least be on your to-do list. They’re all fantastic, but there is in fact another place, which is not nearly as famous, although it deserves to be: … El Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau.

What’s that? (The history part)

El Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau is the site of an old hospital constructed between 1902 and 1930 by Gaudí’s teacher, Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It was built to replace the former hospital in the neighbourhood of Raval, which had become overcrowded since its foundation in 1401. Like the original hospital, Domènech i Montaner’s hospital was to be a place for the poor to receive medical attention (those who could afford it would get a doctor to come to their homes). Bearing in mind that this was a hospital for the poor, you might imagine some of the drab, unimaginative, utilitarian, concrete tower blocks built today.

Hospital de Sant Pau is nothing like that!

How is this hospital different?

Its architect was a visionary who designed the hospital with both aesthetics and utility in mind, so that even the poor could be cared for in a beautiful and dignified space. Beauty and utility can be seen in even the smallest detail.

Aesthetically, like many Modernist works, the hospital is inspired by nature and because of this there are no straight lines to be found, only curves. It reminds me of a sumptuous wedding cake because of the soothing, pastel-coloured tiles which are used to decorate the hospital wings, the elaborate statues of saints and virgins found throughout the site, the lavender and fruit trees in full bloom in the central garden … there are too many lovely details to list them all.

At the same time, the hospital’s design is extremely practical.  Its curved corners and bannisters, in addition to the choice of surface materials – tiles of all colours, shapes and sizes – make the hospital much easier to clean and thus prevent the spread of infection (just as important nowadays as it was back then). The South-facing orientation of the building means that the hospital is well-illuminated and allows the sea breeze to enter and purify the air naturally. Meanwhile, the surgery ward’s windows – facing North – prevent direct sunlight entering and reflecting off the metal instruments, which would otherwise blind the surgeons.

But you’ll have to go visit yourself to take in all the intricate details. You’ll be amazed at the thought and care that went into them all!

*Top tip: If you’re feeling hungry after your visit, take a short walk down Avinguda de Gaudí (pictured) directly in front of the museum. There are plenty of restaurants there with terraces on the quiet rambla. Plus, you’ll have a great view of Sagrada Familia straight ahead. (A “rambla” originally was a dry riverbed used as a road. Ramblas are typically tree-lined streets with a road for pedestrians in the middle and one way streets for cars either side. They can be found throughout Spain, the most famous of which being Las Ramblas in the centre of Barcelona.)*

The idyllic surroundings of the hospital’s interior must have seemed a world apart from the everyday life of a working-class patient. With peaceful, well-kept gardens and awe-inspiring artwork all around, you can imagine that they would never have wanted to leave! It was surely far more comfortable here in the hospital than in the homes they would have returned to if they recovered. And for those on their deathbeds, I can’t think of a more stunning and tranquil hospital to live out your last days.

Whilst Domènech i Montaner’s plans were never fully realized, as only a fraction of the pavillions that the architect had envisaged were ultimately constructed, what stands today is an impressive reminder of what can be achieved by visionary thinking, altruism and some rich benefactors (much of the hospitals construction was only possible due to some generous donations from wealthy donors whose names and initials you can find emblazoned throughout the hospital site).

In summary, the hospital is a magnificent Modernist jewel and like no hospital you will have ever seen before. It has been recognised as a world heritage UNESCO site since 1997 and looks like a whimsical palace crossed with a monastery, making it hard to believe it was a fully-functioning modern hospital until 2009! 

What can I expect from a visit?

Since the construction of the new (and far less attractive) Hospital de Sant Pau, directly behind these old grounds, the Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau has been transformed into a fantastic museum which is totally  worth a visit for both tourists and locals alike.

Visitors have the opportunity to explore the hospital pavilions connected by a series of ingenious underground tunnels. These tunnels are yet another feature showing the architect’s meticulous attention to detail, as they spared patients relaxing in the garden from the sight of sicker patients being carted around, or dead bodies being carried off to the morgue. In the different pavilions you can find, among other things, a recreation of how the hospital used to look when it was fully-functional,  as well as a fascinating photo exhibition showing how the hospital has evolved over the years in the context of the tumultuous early 20th century in Spain.

All this is in addition to what you would expect from a primarily medical history museum – arcane surgical instruments, curious medical artifacts and intriguing stories of the buildings, staff and patients themselves – it’s like a Hogwarts medical school!

Self-guided or Guided Tour?

Whilst you can go on a self-guided tour or hire an audio-guide, there’s so much to take in that I feel it helps immeasurably to have the most important features and anecdotes presented by a guide. Having someone explain what you’re seeing really brings it all to life. We went on a one-hour guided tour with the very knowledgeable tour guide Ainha whose enthusiasm and passion for her job is evident, and I could not recommend her tour enough. Having said that, now that I’ve been on a guided tour, I’d definitely go back again on one of the free-entry days for a self-guided visit to take in the parts I didn’t manage to see the first time.

Are you sure I would like it?

In short, I would recommend a visit for anyone who likes art, design, architecture, history or works in the medical profession. Heck, I would even recommend it if none of the above apply, just because it’s such a unique and fascinating place that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else.

Hopefully you feel inspired to go and explore this dazzling, still relatively unknown gem. If you are interested, check out the practical information below:

NOTE: TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO COVID-19!

Tour times and languages:

Guided tours take place Friday-Sunday and bank holidays and have the following schedule:

French:10:30 am (Saturdays only)

English: 11:00 am

Spanish: 12:00 am

Catalan: 12:30 am

(Ever noticed how the times get earlier the more foreign you are?) 

Standard Ticket Prices: 

Self-guided visit: €15

Guided visit:€20

Concessions:  (YOU GET CONCESSION PRICES IF YOU ARE A BARCELONA RESIDENT OR ARE AGED 12 TO 29!)

Self-guided visit: €10.50 

Guided visit: €14 

Free admission:

All the time for kids under 12 and for the unemployed

23rd April, 24th September and every first Sunday of the month are free entrance days for everyone. (Note: whilst access is free, the tour itself isn’t)

How to Get There

Metro: L5 Sant Pau / Dos de Maig or L4 Guinardó/Hospital de Sant Pau or L2 Sagrada Familia
Bus: H8, 19, 47, 117, 192 Metro: L5 Sant Pau / Dos de Maig or L4 Guinardó/Hospital de Sant Pau or L2 Sagrada Familia

Find more information and book tickets online here: https://www.santpaubarcelona.org/en/visits-sant-pau-art-nouveau-site 

I hope you’ve found this article interesting and useful. Please let me know in the comments section below if you have any questions or suggestions for other must-see museums you think I should write about.

Sending you positivity and sunshine from Barcelona and thank you for reading. 

Also a special thank you to my friend Jenya for recommending I visit in the first place!