Mental Institute of Santa Creu

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Mental Institute of Santa Creu

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Only three pavilions of the old Institut Mental de la Santa Creu remain and these are occupied by the District Offices and the Nou Barris Library.

Cultural heritage
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Accessible for people with physical disabilities

A stunning centre was opened in 1889 in response to public demand for improved patient care and assistance. The two people in particular promoted the centre: Dr Emilio Pi i Molist and the architect Josep Oriol i Bernadet. They created the best psychiatric centre in Western Europe. They worked together on an ambitious project from 1855 to 1860. The treatment and therapy for each patient were based on activities such as farming and arts and crafts. It was one of the most modern and advanced mental hospitals of its time.
Seven hundred metres long and 240 metres wide, it had 12 fully symmetrical areas that could cater to as many as 700 patients at a time. It had several rooms: a dining room, kitchen, meeting room, work shop, garage, library, clinic, bathrooms, theatre and a church. Its 16 interior gardens created a relaxing environment. Men were housed on its right and women on its left. Patients were also grouped according to their social status, sickness and the age. Two religious orders took care of the patients; men were cared for by Santa Cruz monks and women by Santa Cruz nuns.
Some areas were knocked down in the 1970s to make way for parks in Barcinova and Calinova. The centre’s last patients left in 1987. The building is currently used for Nou Barris’ district headquarters, municipal offices, owned public service, a local police station and the Biblioteca Nou Barris. The church remains closed.

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