Tourists Find Abandoned Barcelona Hospital a Real Gem

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A former hospital has never before appeared on the “Top Sites to Visit” list for any location we’ve visited. In books and movies, shuttered hospitals are usually featured only as eerie and  abandoned institutions where cruelties were inflicted. But in Barcelona, a  complex that was an active, working hospital and medical center until just 16 years ago has been restored to its original condition and is open to visitors as an architectural and artistic jewel.


All the buildings are adorned with ceramics, statues, mosaics and stained glass.

Chris and I spent nearly three weeks in Barcelona in May. This extended visit allowed us to see the most popular sites in Barcelona (Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell, Picasso Museum, Gothic Quarter), as well as several less visited sites, like the Banksy Museum, Mercat de Santa Catarina and what was once the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau.


This hospital complex was a landmark in hospital design when construction started in 1902. And it was a major working hospital in Barcelona until 2009. Designed by renowned Modernista architect Lluis Montaner and primarily funded by 19th century banker Pau Gil, the hospital is a network of 27 buildings connected by tunnels and surrounded by outdoor spaces and gardens. Nature and representations of nature were incorporated into the design to promote healing; materials were selected to enhance cleanliness; and structures were designed to maximize sunlight and fresh air.

Patient room as it appeared in the early 1900s. The colors and tile designs are intended to invoke nature and bring comfort and a sense of healing to patients.


View of the complex from the administration building. The center building  with the blue tile on the peak was the surgery center.

When the buildings could no longer accommodate modifications needed by 21st century medicine, a new hospital was built on adjacent property and the complex was converted into the Sant Pau Art Nouveau site. The site includes several buildings that display patient rooms, operating suites, administration offices and tunnels in their original, beautiful state, along with many buildings now used as working spaces for cultural and non-profit organizations. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

We really appreciate the chance to explore beyond the list of "Top 10 Must See Sights". 

Access from the courtyard to the tunnel system that connected the buildings. 

And it has some great gargoyles!



Comments

  1. Annie BJune 18, 2025 at 8:24 AM

    Wow!!! That is the most unique hospital I’ve ever seen!! What a great adventure!!

    ReplyDelete

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