Guide: visiting the Hospital de la Santa Cruz y San Pablo

The story of the Hospital of Sant Pau begins in 1401, when the Hospital of Santa Cruz was founded in Barcelona’s Raval neighborhood to care for the numerous residents affected by the Black Plague. This Gothic-style hospital, which now houses the Library of Catalonia, was created by merging six smaller hospitals.

Centuries later, due to Barcelona’s growing population and advances in healthcare, the hospital became too small, prompting the need for a new, larger facility. Thanks to a generous donation from banker Pau Gil, who passed away in 1896 and left half of his fortune to build a new hospital, a new facility was designed by the renowned Catalan modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

Construction of the new hospital, located about six kilometers from the original site, began in 1902 in the Horta-Guinardó district. The new facility was named the Hospital of Santa Cruz and Sant Pau in honor of its benefactor, Pau Gil. Although Domènech i Montaner initially planned for 38 pavilions, one for each medical specialty, only 27 were completed. Between 1902 and 1913, 13 pavilions were built, and from 1920 to 1930, Domènech’s son, Pere Domènech i Roura, added six more, reflecting a more contemporary style as Catalan modernism was no longer in vogue.

In 2000, to meet new healthcare demands, a new hospital was constructed on the northern part of the site and opened in 2009. This allowed hospital functions to move to the new building, while the modernist pavilions underwent restoration. Today, these spaces serve different purposes—some house organizations and research centers, while others are open for tours and cultural events.