SANT PAU MODERNIST COMPLEX, Administration Pavilion - Ai Voice

In front of you stands the heart of the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site:
the Administration Pavilion, a masterpiece of architecture and decorative arts that once welcomed visitors.

Lluís Domènech i Montaner designed this building as a true monumental gateway.
Its richly decorated main façade was not meant to be just a functional entrance, but also a symbolic statement of moral and spiritual values: charity, science, and hope—the principles that guided the hospital’s mission.
Here, architecture becomes a symbolic language, where every decorative element tells part of the story behind the project.

Built between 1902 and 1912, the pavilion elegantly combines exposed brick, multicolored ceramics, carved stone, and stained glass.
The result is a vibrant, light-filled façade.
Typical Modernisme curves intertwine with Gothic-inspired elements reinterpreted in a modern way, creating a perfect balance between tradition and innovation.

At the center of the façade, the large arched entrance stands out, crowned by the coat of arms of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau and flanked by floral decorations and religious symbols.
Above it, mosaics depict Saint George—patron saint of Catalonia—along with other allegorical figures celebrating faith, science, and compassion.

Two major artists of Catalan Modernisme played a leading role in the sculptural decoration:
– Eusebi Arnau, who created the allegorical figures and symbolic reliefs, and
– Pau Gargallo, a young sculptor who would later collaborate with Picasso.
Arnau brought a refined, idealistic style with serene faces and elegant drapery, while Gargallo added movement and realism, foreshadowing his later shift toward Cubism.
Together, their works give the pavilion an almost theatrical dimension, where every detail contributes to the narrative....