MODERNIST ENCLOSURE OF SANT PAU

The origins of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau go back to the 15th century with the construction of a Gothic building in the heart of the Raval, inaugurated in 1401. At the end of the 19th century, the demographic growth of the Catalan capital and the progress in hygiene made this hospital obsolete. Lluis Domènech i Muntaner - designer of the famous Palau de la Música Catalana - was commissioned to build a new hospital building in 1902. The architect built 13 modernist pavilions on a 10,000 m² site, linked by underground passages, and his son, Pere Domènech i Roura, continued his work with the construction of additional buildings, forming a complex of 28 pavilions, 12 of which can be visited today. In 2009, the sanitary facilities were moved to a brand new building to the north of the modernist city. All the pavilions were then restored between 2010 and 2014 to accommodate tourist visits and the headquarters of various institutions. The buildings and the monumental entrance are richly decorated in Mudejar style, using brick and mosaic, with superb sculptures by Eusebi Arnau and Pau Gargallo. The former Hospital de la Santa Creu is a true Modernist city and one of the most extensive examples of Modernist architecture. It has been included in the Unesco World Heritage List. Numerous cultural activities are programmed there.