It is time to take you back to Barcelona. This was a while back and pleny of memories of my family there, even my oldest son studied there, These are his pictures found in our cd rom vaults that should be in my blog for you and me. As have it, it is one of the few cities in Spain where I have been by air direct and not from inside Spain. Like I said it is different yet into the microscopic blend that is old Spain. Therefore, here is my take on the Hospital de la Santa Creu i de San Pau of Barcelona !!! Hope you enjoy the post as I.
The Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau is located at Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167,(street) in the Horta-Guinardó
district was built between 1902 and 1930 in two phases: the first, by Domènech i Domènech himself, between 1902 and 1913, comprises thirteen Modernista buildings; the second, carried out by his son Pere Domènech i Roura from 1920 onwards, consists of six more buildings in a more moderate Modernista style, as well as other later additions. With its main building and numerous pavilions, the Hospital de Sant Pau is one of the largest examples of Catalan Modernista architecture. A city within the city. Sant Pau is the world’s largest Art Nouveau complex, as well as being the most important work by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the architect of Modernisme, the Catalan Art Nouveau. Declared World Heritage by the UNESCO in 1997 for its singularity and artistic beauty, the Art Nouveau Site comprises an architectural complex of 12 pavilions set in green space and interconnected by a km of underground galleries.
The complex was designed to occupy an area of nine city blocks in the Eixample district, within a 300 by 300 meter square , with main entrance at Sant Quintí, 89 , It consists of a main building dedicated to administration and 27 pavilions where medical and nursing tasks are carried out. All the buildings are connected by underground galleries, suitable for the transfer of patients. Construction of the new hospital began in 2000 in the northern part of the Sant Pau complex, at the corner of Mas Casanovas and San Quintín streets, to meet new healthcare needs. The Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau or Hospital de la Santa Cruz y San Pablo ( ) inaugurated its new headquarters in 2009, a healthcare complex located at the northeast end of the modernist complex and separate from it. A medical helicopter landing pad, inaugurated on July 15, 2010, is located on the roof of Block E of the new hospital.
The Hospital de Santa Creu dates back to 1401, following the merger of six hospitals in Barcelona at the time. By the end of the 19C, Barcelona had grown considerably, and advancements in medical science required more modern facilities. It was therefore decided to build a huge hospital complex outside the city, financed by a donation from the banker Pau Gil. Construction began in 1902 and was to last 28 years, until its opening in 1930. The symmetrical complex consisted of no fewer than 27 buildings, 16 of which were in the Modernista style. Each pavilion housed its own medical specialty, with a network of corridors extending over a km beneath the complex to ensure easy access to the pavilions. To honor the patron’s wishes, the name Pau was added to the hospital’s name, which was then called the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau. Today, it is primarily known as the Hospital de Sant Pau. The building we see today is the result of refurbishments carried out a century later. Today, as we enter the Biblioteca de Catalunya (library), housed on the first floor of the three sections of the former hospital complex, we discover an open-plan space without columns: the hospital wards were located here. The rooms have extremely high, pitched wooden ceilings, unlike the ones on the first floor, which house two public libraries. The latter have Gothic cross-vaulted ceilings and used to house the administration department, kitchen and laundry. The architectural ensemble is completed by the former convalescent home, the Casa de la Convalescència, now the head office of the Institut d’Estudis Catalans;(institute of Catalans studies) the beautiful Reial Acadèmia de Medicina (Royal Academy of Medicine); and the old hospital chapel, which is now an exhibition space.
The former Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau went a fewyears ago, underwent a major renovation, and it is now possible to visit this unique complex independently. After serving as a major hospital for nearly 80 years, the complex now functions primarily as a museum and cultural center. During your visit to Sant Pau, you can choose to explore the former hospital without a guide. The tour includes the Sant Rafael Pavilion, which houses exhibits on the hospital’s history and restoration; it is also the only restored dormitory. The tour also includes a visit to the main façade, where you will receive an explanation of the complex’s current use. At the end of the tour, you will visit the church of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau.
The official Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau of Barcelona : https://santpaubarcelona.org/en/
The actual Hospital San Pau directions : https://www.santpau.cat/es/com-arribar
The Barcelona tourist office on the former San Pau Hospital : https://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/en/page/494/the-antic-hospital-de-la-santa-creu.html
There you go folks, a dandy big city with all you need for a great time alone or with family ; this is Barcelona. Do browze my other posts on the city, You know as I said, Spain is everything under the Sun. Again, hope you enjoy this post on the Hospital de la Santa Creu i de San Pau of Barcelona !!! as I
And remember, happy travels , good health, and many cheers to all !!!
