Deterioration of the Rubió i Lluch gardens forces Barcelona to consider urgent measures in the heart of Raval

The deterioration of the Rubió i Lluch gardens worries residents and authorities. The space beside the historic Hospital de la Santa Creu is accumulating rubbish and suffering from a lack of maintenance. The City Council is considering urgent measures to restore this heritage site.

Those walking through Raval have noticed the deterioration of the Rubió i Lluch gardens, a green lung in the former Hospital de la Santa Creu. The situation has reached the point where the Sindicatura de Greuges de Barcelona has asked the City Council to strengthen cleaning and care of this space, key to the neighbourhood’s everyday and cultural life.

The alert comes after an investigation prompted by residents’ complaints about neglect of the site. During the visit, rubbish, syringes and excrement were found, as well as evident neglect in conserving its architectural elements. The deterioration, far from isolated, has become a constant affecting both residents and those seeking a quiet place in the city centre.

The Sindicatura acknowledges the social complexity of the area, but insists that cleaning, disinfection and maintenance tasks need to be stepped up. It also proposes creating a specific preventive-conservation programme to protect the ensemble’s heritage value and prevent further deterioration.

Another challenge noted is the regular presence of homeless people in the gardens. Greater coordination of municipal social services is therefore called for to offer care and alternatives to those using this space as refuge.

The City Council had already tried to revitalise the site with initiatives such as “Llegim al jardí”, intended to turn the gardens into a meeting point for outdoor reading. However, the lack of visible improvements has generated frustration among those expecting a real change in the use and image of the place.

The Rubió i Lluch gardens form part of a space declared a cultural asset of national interest, which requires their conservation and care to be prioritised. The former Hospital de la Santa Creu, built from 1401 through royal impetus, is now a reference point of Catalan civil Gothic architecture and hosts top-level cultural institutions. Its surroundings deserve attention commensurate with their history and relevance to life in Barcelona.

For centuries, Hospital de la Santa Creu was Barcelona’s principal health centre, setting the social and urban pulse of Raval. After its closure in 1926, the complex became a cultural site that has reinvented itself without losing its essence. Today, its courtyards and gardens are not only witnesses to history, but also spaces for coexistence and civic activity that reflect the challenges and opportunities of present-day Barcelona.

Rubió i Lluch: alarm over deterioration in Raval. The Sindicatura calls for stronger cleaning, disinfection and conservation in the gardens of the former Hospital de la Santa Creu, where rubbish, syringes and excrement have been detected; the City Council is considering urgent responses to protect this heritage site.