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Royal Convent of Santa Maria de Pedralbes

Infirmary and the «Petras Albas. Pedralbes Convent and the Montcada Family (1326-1673)» exhibition

Infirmary and the «Petras Albas. Pedralbes Convent and the Montcada Family (1326-1673)» exhibition.

 

Infirmary and the «Petras Albas. Pedralbes Convent and the Montcada Family (1326-1673)» exhibition.

 

The infirmary, which may now be visited and hosts the dynastic ‘Petras Albas. The Convent of Pedralbes and the Montcada family (1326-1673)’ exhibition, is fruit of the alterations carried out in the 16th century, thanks to the donation from Philip II. Even today it is one of the most well-preserved examples of hospital buildings. 

Designed to attend to sick nuns, it operated independently from the rest of the convent  in order to remain isolated in the case of infectious diseases or outbreaks of epidemics. It was accessed from a corridor with a door that led into the cloister, a pharmacy and treatment room, a chapel, a dining room, a kitchen with access stairs to the cistern and the infirmary storeroom, and four rooms with a capacity for four beds each, separated by curtains.  Each room connected with the others through adjoining doors with a window at the top allowing communication from one room to the other. A burning candle was placed there throughout the night in order to watch over the sick nuns. To prevent the smoke from the candles polluting the air, each lintel had a vent hole for the smoke.

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