The 15th-century Hospital of Santa Maria

The Antic Hospital de Santa Maria stands as a prominent example of Catalan civil architecture from the 15th and 16th centuries. Construction began in 1454 under the auspices of the city's parents. The building was intended to gather the seven hospitals that existed in the city. While work was paralyzed for forty-eight years, it resumed in 1509 and was completed around 1520, although it already assisted patients and pilgrims as early as 1476.

The building features a layout of balanced austerity with a central courtyard and a gallery of pointed arches wrapping around the upper floor. The structure was designed by masters including Andreu Pi and Jaume Borrell. It was declared a cultural asset of national interest in 1928 and has served various functions over the centuries, including a period as a military hospital before returning to exclusively civil use in 1854.

You are invited to explore the interior today, which houses the Institut d'Estudis Ilerdencs (IEI). While the original sculpture of the Mare de Déu was removed from its position in 2006 for restoration and preservation, it now resides in the Lleida Museum. The building remains a cornerstone of heritage preserved for scientific research, the cultivation of arts and letters, and the protection of the city's cultural heritage.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons