Hospital de Sant Pau - Barcelona, Spain

Hospital de Sant Pau - Barcelona, Spain Review


pin

Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167 • Barcelona, Spain
www.santpau.es



Overall 5.00 of 5 (by 1 user)
 




Community Manager
Meredith
Chicago, IL
I would consider breaking a bone just to stay in this hospital!!
5 star rating

don't like to visit hospitals, interested in cultural experiences, fun loving
Pros

    Easy to find, FREE!, Open to public, One of a kind, Beautiful things to see

Cons
    often overlooked by BCN visitors

DEC
4
2007
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hospital de Sant Pau - Barcelona, Spain — 

Where is this place?

Carrer de Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167 - Metro Stop: Blue line Hospital de Sant Pau station

website: www.santpau.es

The hospital is super close to the metro stop. Once you exit the station, there are signs for the hospital which point you in the right direction.

Is this is a hospital or an attraction?

Hospital de Sant Pau IS BOTH!! Yep, it's a fully functioning hospital complete with real live patients and doctors! Plus, it's also a must see tourist attraction that is open 24/7 and FREE of charge to visit (unless of course you are there for treatment!)

The hospital was designed back in 1902 by Lluis Domenech i Montaner. He disliked the cold, dark feeling of huge wards so he came up with the idea to construct separate pavilions among lively gardens. There are 26 pavilions were patients find respite. These pavilions are connected by underground corridors which allow doctors/patients to move freely to other areas of the hospital.

The whole concept of the hospital is based on the designers belief that color, plants, art, and beauty are therapeutic. The extravagant mosaics, bright tiles and natural lighting are all meant to help the healing process!!

Now, of course tourists cannot mosey into patient pavilions or underground corridors but they can browse through the gardens and main entrance lobby. I was utterly shocked to see all the doctors and surgeons in lab coats as I walked through the grounds!! I also witnessed an ambulance pull right up to a pavilion ramp to drop off a patient. It was very surreal because the place just does not feel or LOOK like a hospital at all.  

Hospital de Sant Pau has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to it's cultural and historical significance. This hopefully means it will be preserved for many, many years to come.

I cannot speak to this hospitals services or performance level as a medical care center. However am able to recommend all non-sick people to visit solely for the experience. I typically try to avoid hospitals but would happily revisit this one anyday! The artistic composition of Hospital de Sant Pau attracts almost as many people as McDreamy does to Seattle Grace.

 

 



I_thumb_up Hospital de Sant Pau - Barcelona, Spain is recommended by Meredith

16
helpful
votes
Did you find this review helpful?
 
 
 



add Meredith to my friends list add to my favorites email to a friend subscribe to feed

I_comment_shdw24 Comments about Meredith’s Review

 


steve9631 wrote on Jul 16, 2008 at 3:23PM

My daughter is in Spain now, and going to be in BCN in a couple of days. I'll email this review to her. Good job. I'm gonna be there in Nov., so maybe I'll check it out too.

Lisisme wrote on Jan 23, 2008 at 4:10PM

Meredith!
You have terrific writing skills and I am totally enthralled by your account of this hospital and will definitely visit it (as a tourist) the next time I am in Barcelona. You have also inspired me to take photos and write about the hospital where my husband works in Rome which is also quite unusual in many way - not all good though, as you shall soon see! Cats fed in the emergency room? Modigliani sculptures where the drug addicts hang out?
Coming soon: A review of San Camillo Hospital in Rome, Italy.

BayouBengal wrote on Jan 3, 2008 at 8:37AM

Wow, what a beautiful hospital! The pics are fabulous! --Karen

Natasha66acting wrote on Dec 22, 2007 at 10:30PM

You are too funny :). This is an amazing place. Might I add that I jealous you get to travel to all these interesting places. Good review.

Natasha

aprilefisher wrote on Dec 14, 2007 at 9:23AM

What a concept! I love places that consider not only basic functions but that appreciate the human desire for beauty.

RudiXeno wrote on Dec 11, 2007 at 3:39AM

Excellent review and terrific photos.

kid-kansas wrote on Dec 10, 2007 at 8:56PM

Sounds like a wonderful place, but I am not breaking my leg to go there.....lol Great review! ;)...Ron

CyndiA wrote on Dec 8, 2007 at 9:12AM

I wanted to make sure you didn't break your leg (-: This sounds really neat. You're finding lots of cool places. Glad you're writing about them.

Fardreamer wrote on Dec 7, 2007 at 9:59PM

Let's hope that you stay healthy and only have to visit this as a tourist. When I was in Sevilla, I caught a cold that took me a few weeks to shake off...so I know what it's like to be under the weather in Spain.

Meredith wrote on Dec 6, 2007 at 5:27AM

In response to Buggheart's comment from Dec 5, 2007 at 7:48AM:

Ha! Yes, thanks Buggheart :) Thank goodness I haven't had any health scares thus far... (knocking on wood now.)

GeorgeChabot wrote on Dec 5, 2007 at 5:40PM

I'm glad you didn't need the services of the hospital! Sounds great, though!

Buggheart wrote on Dec 5, 2007 at 7:48AM

Wow, that place looks amazing! I was shaking though while reading your review thinking that you hurt yourself thousands of miles from home! Whew!

vytas wrote on Dec 4, 2007 at 3:53PM

Wow! Now that's one spectacular hospital. It's also amazing that a building like that was built just over a hundred years ago. The idea of gardens and beautiful mosaics to help in convalescence sounds like it should be an integral part of every hospital. Then again, I could run up quite a bill just "staying" at the Hospital de Sant Pau. Look forward to the next stop on this vicarious vacation.

jazzybean01 wrote on Dec 4, 2007 at 3:52PM

I'm with you on that breaking a bone to stay there. It looks amazing.

SpokaneMan wrote on Dec 4, 2007 at 2:02PM

You are really making me envious of all the great places you are seeing :)


More reviews by Meredith
add Meredith to my friends list

4 star ratingBig Star - Chicago, IL Review - "Big Star wins!"
5 star ratingBenefit Bathina Shower Cap Review - "Benefit Bathina Cap- best beauty...
2 star ratingZicam Cold Remedy RapidMelts Review - "I'm on the fence on whether or not...
5 star ratingLaura Mercier SPF 15 Mineral Powder Review - "Laura Mercier's Mineral...
reviews by Meredith »
view more in Hospitals view more in Doctors & Hospitals