Description of the attraction
Hospital Santa de la Creu y Sant Pau (Hospital of the Holy Cross and St. Paul) is one of the most impressive complexes in Barcelona, designed by the famous modernist architect Luis Domenech i Montaner between 1901 and 1930. Now the hospital complex has been declared by UNESCO as an object of Humanity. 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 green areas, where hospital patients and anyone else can freely walk.
The hospital complex amazes not only with its scale, but also with the beauty and grandeur of its performance. The architect conceived to build not just hospital wards, but as many as 26 special pavilions in the Mudejar 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.
Hospital of the Holy 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 activity dates back to 1401, when 6 hospitals that existed in Barcelona at that time 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.
The hospital is also famous for the fact that it was originally defined as its charitable Christian mission - serving the poor and pilgrims. These principles are observed to this day. Today the institution positions itself as "a hospital open to people."
The hospital building was fully operational until 2009, and excursions were also conducted on its territory. Currently, the restoration of buildings is underway with the aim of its subsequent use as a museum and cultural center. In 2003, a new hospital building was built.
