An Abandoned Spain Sanatorium in Barcelona

The abandoned Sanatorio Antituberculoso in Barcelona, Spain, is so unique looking it would catch anyone’s eye, not just urbexers.

“El Castell” has an area of about 250 square meters or so, has two levels. It is made up of a circular central nave, surrounded by eight cylindrical towers of a ninth that is slightly separated from the rest. The roofs are conical and are covered with trencadis, a mosaic technique typical of modernist architecture. Surrounding the building, is a ring of curved windows.

This modernist pavilion, privately owned and now extremely derelict, is the only one that remains of the sanatorium that Joan Rubió i Bellver designed in Can Rectoret, in 1905.

The History of Sanatori Antituberculós, Barcelona

At the end of the 19th century, the lack of hygiene standards and socioeconomic conditions meant that some diseases, such as typhus and tuberculosis, were the cause of a large number of deaths. One of the safest measures was the isolation of the sick in remote places in the open air.

For this reason, in Barcelona and its surroundings, many sanatoriums were planned in the mountains, such as those of Tibidabo and Vallvidrera.

El Castell was also used as a hospital during the Civil War to treat injured soldiers from the International Brigades.

Access to the Abandoned Spain Sanatorium

Unfortunately, its not possible to access the inside of the sanatorium. All of the lower floor doors and windows have been not just boarded up, but covered in cement and locks! One of the main doors in particular, had three brand new locks on it. I assume the reason why this place is so heavily guarded is due to the squatters that tried to take over the property and the amount of graffiti and rubbish that has tarnished the building.

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