Discover the Church of the Mental Institute of Barcelona
History of the Church of the Mental Institute
The Mental Church is a temple that is located in the central body of the Mental Institute of Santa Creu, in the heart of the Guineueta neighborhood. One of the facilities that are part of the Mental Institute of the Santa Creu is the church, currently in disuse and dedicated to the archangel Saint Raphael. It is a symmetrical temple of neoclassical style located in the central body of the sanatorium. It was the religious center for the patients and the staff who worked there. Masses were celebrated on Sundays and holidays. With the outbreak of the Civil War, it was looted by Republican militiamen to take all their valuables. It returned to work during the postwar period, but as the Mental Institute began its process of decline and the progressive demolition of its pavilions, the temple lost activity due to the decrease in the number of admitted patients. After the closure of the sanatorium, in 1986, the church was abandoned.
Characteristics of the Church of the Mental Institute
The Mental Church is located in the central body of the Santa Creu Mental Institute, in the heart of the Guineueta neighborhood. It is a symmetrical neoclassical temple with a basilica plan with three naves divided by semicircular arches. The central nave is wider and higher than the lateral ones, and is topped by a dome. The main altar is adorned with an image of the Archangel San Rafael. The church has a crypt in which the remains of several members of the family of the counts of Barcelona are found. In addition, in the church there is a chapel dedicated to San Juan de Dios, patron saint of the mentally ill. The church, currently in disuse, is a place of great historical and architectural interest.
How to visit the Church of the Mental Institute
The Mental Church is located in the central body of the Santa Creu Mental Institute, in the heart of the Guineueta neighborhood. Currently, the temple is not open to the public, but you can visit the outside of the building. To get to the church, you can take the metro to the Guinardó-Hospital de Sant Pau station, from where it can be reached on foot in about 15 minutes. The best way to learn about the history of the church is to take a guided tour, in which the architectural details are explained and the history of the church is told. In addition, during the visit you can see other buildings of the Mental Institute, such as the Museum of Health and the Pabellón de los Locos.
Discover the Mental Institute of Barcelona
The Santa Creu Mental Institute is one of the main mental health facilities in Barcelona. It is a psychiatric hospital founded in 1841 to treat the mentally ill. The Mental Institute is a set of buildings built between the 19th and 20th centuries, with a cross-shaped plan. The Mental Institute houses a church, a health museum, a library, a chapel and a pavilion for the insane. The Mental Institute was closed in 1986, but it remains a place of great historical and architectural interest. Currently, the Mental Institute is in the process of rehabilitation to become a space for leisure and culture for all citizens.
