Hospital de Sant Pau is located in El Guinardó, Barcelona, Spain. It is a beautiful structure that was built between the years 1901 and 1930 by the architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. This complex, along with the Palau de la Música Catalana, has been named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Until the year 2009, the building was a fully functioning hospital. Now, it is undergoing construction to be used as a concert hall and museum. There are several tours available around the structure.
History
By the end of the nineteenth century, the local hospital in Barcelona’s “Royal neighborhood” became too small to accommodate all the patients. This meant that they had to relocate and construct a building that was large enough to house all the patients that needed treatment. The current building structure of the hospital is from the 20th century. However, the original hospital was founded in 1401 when six medieval hospitals merged to form the hospital which stood until the year 2009. The former buildings of the small hospitals were once located closer to the center of Barcelona. These structures date back from the 15th century and are now used as an art school known as Escola Massana and the national library called Biblioteca de Catalunya.
The Structure Today
Many tourists like to visit the structure and marvel at the beautiful architecture of the building. Although the building is still undergoing major reconstruction, tours are available daily. It is regarded as the pinnacle of Catalonian architecture and modernista style. The structure boasts of beautifully tiled roofs, elaborate gardens and a mosaic of pavilions.
