Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, Barcelona

Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau was a hospital, designed by Domenech i Montaner, one of Gaudi's professors, in Catalan Modernist style, built in 1930. When you approach the hospital from Av. de Gaudi, its adorable Gothic windows, mosaic pictures, golden spire, and brick exterior are beautiful. Inside its courtyard, its colorful yellow-tiled roofs are gorgeous, especially early or late in the day (at midday the colors are washed out because of all the cement in the courtyard). And so are its tiled turrets, and decorative spires all in a row! The mood is sombre when you tour a hospital, but it's worth it to see the amazing architecture, especially in the administration building with its columns leading up to pink-tiled ceilings, stained glass rotunda with curlicues and hearts in the vaults, ironwork lampposts, winding chunky marble staircase with more decorations, and sumptuous details in every room. You just can't get enough of the beauty there, and you can see Sagrada Familia from its windows! The other hospital buildings are lovely too, with their blue-green mosaics, decorated tile rotunda ceilings, and entrance sculptures. The Sala Pau Gil hallway, in yellow, has windows galore, tall ceilings decorated in floral motifs, and stained glass- a glorious spot. The buildings are connected by underground tiled hallways.

The "garden" is actually a cement courtyard, but it has delicious-smelling orange blossoms on the trees in late April! The orange trees are so cute in shape. It's peaceful to explore this Catalan Modernist architecture since not as many tourists check it out. The audiotour isn't that nice, so skip it.
You can combine this attraction with a visit to Sagrada Familia Basilica (which you must book well in advance), since Recinte Modernista is just 1 km north on Ave de Gaudi. Stop at Trigo Coffee on the way to get some vitamin C in a fruit smoothie under their outdoor umbrella and rest your legs.
For an amazing site you absolutely can't miss, also by Domenech i Montaner, check out Palau de la Musica Catalana, one of the two best sites, in my opinion, in Barcelona (along with Sagrada Familia).

Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau, Barcelona

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