Login

Sant Pau Recinte Modernista

Art Nouveau Architecture Complex

Designed and built by the modernist architects Montaner and his son, the Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul in Barcelona was completed in 1930. The hospital complex, with its extensive use of mosaics and sculptures, is a representative of Art Nouveau architecture and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1997.

The Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul (Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, or Hospital de Sant Pau) in Barcelona is a Representative of Art Nouveau Architecture, designed by Barcelona architects Lluís Domènech i Montaner and his son, and completed in 1930. Sculptures and Mosaics are used extensively both inside and outside the buildings, which led to the inscription of the Hospital de Sant Pau as a World Heritage Site in 1997, along with the Palau de la Música Catalana, another Montaner’s masterpiece.

Montaner designed 26 buildings for the Hospital, including the Administration Pavilion with its iconic spires, glass-roofed operating houses, and a dozen Similar Ward Buildings. The Central Courtyard, surrounded by greenery, provides a comfortable space for patients to heal.

The Underground Corridor, which connects the buildings, is a major innovation by Montaner, allowing patients and medical staff to move easily between buildings and wards, while reducing ground-level traffic and keeping the courtyard comfortable and aesthetically pleasing. This pioneering concept has made a remarkable contribution to the history of human architecture.

In 2009, Hospital of the Holy Cross and Saint Paul moved into a new compound to the north of the complex, and the old hospital site was converted into the Sant Pau Recinte Modernista (Saint Paul Modernist Precinct), a showcase for modernist architecture. Visitors can experience the beauty of modern architectural art up close and learn about the trajectory of the hospital from 1401 to the present day through Illustrated History Exhibitions.