Santa Creu was Barcelona’s general hospital from 1401 to 1926 and is one of the finest examples of Catalan civil Gothic architecture. This is also the hospital where Gaudí, the city’s most famous architect, died on 10 June 1926 after a fateful accident.
History
Although construction began on the building in the 15th century, most of what remains today dates from around 100 years later. In its heyday, during the medieval period, it was considered to be one of the best hospitals in Europe, but by the 19th and 20th centuries, it became primarily a hospital for the poor.
Institut d’Estudis Catalans
The Institut d’Estudis Catalans was formed in 1907 and sits in the Casa de Convalescència (created in the 17th century), which was once part of the Antic Hospital de la Santa Creu. An important site for all Catalans, this is where the first work of Catalan lexicography was created – the Catalan-Valencian-Balearic Dictionary between 1926 and 1962, building upon the work of Pompeu Fabra who published the first works on modern Catalan grammar between 1913 and 1930. The building itself, especially the vestibule, is richly decorated with ceramic tiles. Unfortunately, only the courtyard can be visited, but it’s worth peeking inside to see its elegant detailing, along with the statue of St Paul.
Reial Acadèmia de Medicina de Catalunya
On the opposite side stands the Reial Acadèmia de Medicina de Catalunya, a fabulous, yet underrated building of both architectural and historical importance. It was built in the second half of the 18th century, expanding upon the hospital and the Casa de Convalescència, and is one of the most important relics of neoclassical style in the city today. It housed the College of Surgery, which later became the Faculty of Medical Sciences in 1843 and was created to train military surgeons. Visits are by guided tour only every Wednesday and Saturday and can be booked through the tour company Sternalia (sternalia.com). The fascinating experience leads visitors through the building on a journey back in time through the history of medicine in Catalonia. Of notable interest are the sweeping monumental staircase dating from 1585 and the richly decorated library, but the real highlight is the anatomical amphitheater, complete with its original dissection table and epic Venetian glass chandelier. Tours are available in English, Spanish and Catalan, but audio guides are available in French, German, Russian and Mandarin Chinese.
Jardins de Rubió I Lluch
At the end of Passatge de l’Hospital, a set of stone steps leads visitors through a small archway and out into the cloister-like Jardins de Rubió i Lluch, which sit at the heart of the hospital complex. Today, it’s a peaceful spot to escape the humdrum of the city and relax among orange trees and ornamental fountains.
Biblioteca de Catalunya
Halfway along the Jardins de Rubió i Lluch, up a set of steep stone stairs, you’ll find the Biblioteca de Catalunya. While most of it is only accessible with a library card, visitors can enter the lobby area to see its impressive Gothic arched ceilings. On one wall, you’ll find a series of old black-and-white photos showing what the building looked like when it was a hospital. The lobby also hosts a series of temporary exhibitions that change throughout the year, focused on themes such as authors, old rare books and artists. The hospital complex also houses a smaller public library, Santa Pau-Creu, which is free to enter without a library card and browse as you please.
Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia
The Reial Acadèmia de Farmàcia on other side of the gardens once housed the hospital's pharmacy, dating from 1417. Today, it’s the headquarters of the Royal Academy of Pharmacy of Catalonia. Like the Reial Acadèmia de Medicina, it can only be visited on a guided tour with Sternalia on Wednesdays only. Inside, all the original furniture has been preserved along with its ornate stained-glass windows. It houses a collection of 162 ceramic apothecary jars from different eras and styles. You can also see how medicines were dispensed to the hospital and where the prescriptions were left and filled.
La Capella
On the other side of the courtyard, along Carrer d’Hospital you’ll see the entrance to La Capella, which was the Santa Creu's 15th-century former chapel. Inside, you’ll find a permanent exhibit on the history of the hospital and the chapel itself, as well as its transformation into a modern arts space. The rest of the chapel is given over to contemporary-art exhibitions, which change throughout the year.
