GUINARDÓ. From orchards and farmhouses converted into buildings

Until the mid-20th century, the area retained its rural spirit, although the construction of rural summer homes for the middle class also began to be common. Barcelona's growth and its privileged location made Guinardó a place of real estate speculation, and the construction of apartment blocks began.

However, the neighborhood has a residential spirit and the large green space of Guinardó Park.

Baix Guinardó, the lower part of the neighborhood (and district), has the urban configuration of Barcelona's Eixample, with square blocks and a dynamic mix of uses where residential is the main one. However, it still retains small corners that recall the time when houses with gardens predominated.

Points of Interest and References:

• Hospital de Sant Pau i la Santa Creu: The hospital was founded in 1401, although not at its current location. In the early 19th century, the new hospital was built in this district, thanks to donations from banker Pau Gil along with municipal funds. The new hospital is an impressive complex of buildings, designed by the famous Modernist architect Lluís Domènech i Montaner. (Sant Antoni Maria Claret 167)
• Pavelló de la República: Replica of the Pavilion of the Republic for the 1937 International Exhibition in Paris. It was commissioned to architects Josep Lluís Sert and Luis Lacasa to represent the country during the Spanish Civil War. (Av. del Cardenal Vidal i Barraquer)
• Parc del Laberint: The oldest garden in Barcelona, construction of which began in 1794 on the estate of the Marquess of Alfarràs; a fine example of neoclassical gardens of the 18th century. (Passeig dels Castanyers 1)