Sant Pau: The Other Modernista Wonder of Barcelona – Part 2

When I first caught a glimpse of the Modernista wonder, Sant Pau, from atop my ‘hop-on-hop-off’ bus tour of Barcelona, I was so taken with its beauty that I immediately hopped off to take a closer look. As I peaked over the wall at the colourfully tiled roofs of the turrets and domes of the red brick pavilions, I made a mental note to come back the following day when I would have time to roam the grounds of this truly unique site. And I’m so glad I did. For the glorious view of its sun-washed pavilions from inside the Administration building alone was worth the price of admission.And once the magnificent scale and purpose of this Barcelona treasure became clear to me, I was even more impressed. For Sant Pau was designed and built as a hospital and functioned as one for over 90 years until 2009 when that role was moved to a new facility. Besides its gorgeous Art Nouveau architecture, it is also unique for the fact that it was built as a series of pavilions. The idea behind this was to isolate different illnesses in order to prevent their spread. Of the twelve patient pavilions that were built, eight have now been restored. And several of these are open to the public, enabling us to obtain a real-life view of what healthcare looked like in Barcelona during the first half of the 20th-century.I love the architecture of these pavilions. It is ornate and whimsical, creating a little palace out of each building. And it is functional as well, for the small turret on each housed a water tower which serviced that specific facility.   And the colourfully tiled, glazed roofs bring a brightness to the hospital that lifts the spirit. This was intentional of course, one technique that local, Catalan architect Domènech i Montaner used to help trigger the curative effect of beauty. Another was setting these fantastical pavilions amongst several healing and restorative gardens. As I made my way through the grounds to the Sant Raphael Pavilion, my soul was soothed by the soft views and purifying scent of their lavender beds. Named after the patron saint of healing, the Sant Raphael Pavilion is covered in a variety of incredible symbols and Art Nouveau features. From the statue of Saint Raphael standing guard over the doorway to the frog-shaped gargoyles hanging off the pillars, the mix of icons is definitely an eclectic one. And the stone carved flowers and spirals framing the windows along with tiled images of woodland creatures speak to the organic and nature-themed features of this artistic style.

This beauty and whimsy is matched by that of the interior of the Pavilion. For as I stepped inside, the gorgeous day room of Sant Raphael greeted me with its fantastically tiled mosaic cupola.

And then there were the more subtle vaulted ceilings and dormer windows of the hospital ward itself, offering a calm, cool and well-ventilated atmosphere.  And the eclectic mix of wall tiles in floral motifs in unexpected colour combinations brought the restorative energy of the garden into the ward. I found it fascinating to see the imperfect, but effective, repairs that had been made to one section of these over time.

Healing energy was also representative in the small altar dedicated to the archangel Saint Raphael located at the entrance to the day room.

And to see the hospital ward itself was quite amazing. Beautiful vaulted ceilings sheltering large bright windows facilitated the delivery of both natural light and good ventilation to the patients who had once convalesced there. These features reflected the modern belief of the time in the value of open space and sunlight in the treatment of the infirm.

If I had to spend time in a hospital, I would want it to be in one like this treasure of Barcelona. To explore more of this fascinating Art Nouveau marvel, read my post Sant Pau: The Other Modernista Wonder of Barcelona- Part 3.

Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau  C. Sant Antoni Maria Claret, 167  08025 Barcelona