Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site Sant Pau Hospital: Tickets

Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site Tickets - Prices and Visitor Information

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Quick Information‍

• Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau Address: Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167, 08025, Barcelona
• Opening Hours: Daily from 09:30 - 18:30
• Suggested Visit Time: 1-2 hours
• Best for: Architecture lovers, photography and history fans
• UNESCO World Heritage Site: Yes
• Nearest Metro: Sant Pau | Dos de Maig (L5)

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What is Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site?

• Book Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site tickets online and discover one of Barcelona’s most beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Designed by renowned Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the former Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau is considered one of the finest examples of Catalan Modernisme architecture.
• Originally built as a revolutionary hospital complex between 1902 and 1930, the site features stunning pavilions, colourful mosaics, gardens, domes, underground tunnels and exhibition spaces.
• Today, the restored complex is one of Barcelona’s hidden architectural gems and a must-visit for fans of history, architecture and photography.

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Why Visit Recinte Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site?

As one of Barcelona's UNESCO World Heritage Sites, visitors can:

• Explore one of the largest Art Nouveau complexes in Europe
• Walk through beautifully restored hospital pavilions and underground tunnels
• See colourful mosaics, stained glass windows and Catalan Modernisme architecture
• Learn about the history of medicine in Barcelona
• Enjoy a quieter alternative to Barcelona’s busiest attractions
• Visit beautiful gardens designed to promote healing and recovery

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What You See At Recinte Sant Pau Art Nouveau Hospital

Visitors can enjoy:

• The Gardens: Walk through peaceful gardens surrounded by colourful domes, mosaics and restored Modernista buildings.
• Pavilions: See several of the pavilions including the Sant Rafael Pavilion & Sant Salvador Pavilion.
• Underground tunnels: Explore the underground passageways that once connected the hospital pavilions and allowed staff and patients to move safely between buildings.
• Modernisme architecture: Admire stained glass windows, ceramic tiles, arches, sculptures and decorative details designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.

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Best Time To Visit

Depending on the experience visitors are looking for:

• Early mornings or late afternoon tend to be quieter
• Spring and autumn are ideal to enjoy the gardens and outdoor space
• Summer time can be extremely busy

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About Recinte Modernista - Sant Pau Hospital‍

Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau Art Nouveau was designed by Catalan architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner, and is one of Barcelona's UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Domènech i Montaner was commissioned by the hospital board and the executors of 'Pau Gil's' estate (a wealthy benefactor, who had left funds in his will to the trust) to build a modern hospital in Barcelona.

The building is known by various names, including:

• "Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site,"
• "Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau,"
• "Recinte Modernista Sant Pau,"
• "Sant Pau Hospital,"‍

Domènech i Montaner envisioned the site as a group of pavilions that were connected by underground tunnels, built on the grounds of an old mediaeval hospital.

His original plan was for 48 pavilions, only 27 were constructed, with 16 built to his 'Modernista' vision.

He wanted to design a hospital that would uplift patients' spirits by integrating architectural beauty and natural elements. The site features mosaic art, colourful roof tiles, intricate arches, and other artistic details and each building was dedicated to a different medical specialty.

Domènech i Montaner passed away in December 1923, before the project was complete. His son, Pere Domènech i Roura, took over and finished it and King Alfonso XIII officially opened the hospital in January 1930 as ‘Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau’.

In 1978, the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site was declared a Historic Artistic Monument, and it achieved UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1997.

The hospital functioned as a medical facility until 2009, when operations moved to a new location due to growing demands and space requirements. The 'Modernista' buildings were then meticulously restored, transforming the complex into the renowned Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site that is incredibly popular today.

The Buildings

• ‍The Main Building: The main entrance with a beautiful facade is where the patients were admitted to the hospital. It's also where visitors can see the underground tunnel entrance points that connect the various pavilions and wards.
• ‍Sant Salvador Pavilion: Visitors will find a space used for exhibiting the history of medicine in Barcelona. The exhibition includes historical medical equipment and materials, architectural models, as displays explaining the history of the hospital and its heritage.
• ‍Sant Rafael Pavilion: Home to a display showing what the hospital looked like when it was built. It also includes old medical tools and the beds used at the time.
• ‍The Gardens: It is believed that Doménech i Montaner took inspiration from the garden city movement in the design. One of the purposes of the gardens was supposedly to grow medicinal plants used in patient treatments. The gardens are now home to plants from all over the world.

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