Hospital de los Venerables Seville – Tickets and Guide
Hospital de los Venerables Seville – Tickets and Guide
Tourist Information and Guide to Hospital los Venerables Sevilla
The Hospital de los Venerables Seville is a former hospital building that was originally built as a retirement home for priests, and now used as an art gallery.
The building isn’t your classic hospital building, and is famed for it’s stunning baroque architecture – with a beautifully designed chapel and immaculate patio gardens, it really is a must-visit attraction in Seville.
Hospital de los Venerables General Information |
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Location | Pl. Venerables, 8, Casco Antiguo, 41004 Sevilla, Spain |
Opening Times | Monday to Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM. Last entry 6PM |
Entry and Tickets | General admission to Los Venerables starts from €12 (including audio guide), with discounts for children. (Book Tickets Online) |
Hospital de los Venerables Seville Tickets |
How to buy tickets to Hospital de los Venerables– Includes entry to main building, chapel, art centre, and courtyard.
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Visiting Hospital de los Venerables
The building isn’t the largest attraction in the world, and you can see the majority of the site in less than 2 hours. Conveniently it sits right in the middle of the Santa Cruz district of Seville, so can easily be seen between visits to some of the more notable attractions such as the Cathedral or Royal Alcazar.
Despite being fairly small, it is well worth a visit, especially for the small entrance fee which offers great value for money with the audio guide included.
The ticket you can purchase online comes with an audio guide, but you can also book a guided tour with an expert at the ticket office.
Personally, I would say the audio guide provided with the entrance ticket is more than sufficient. It provides plenty of options and lets you go around the building at your own pace.
The site has some basic facilities including a ticket office and toilets for visitors. For food and drink, it is best to get outside Los Venerables, with plenty of options in the centre of Barrio Santa Cruz.
What to See in Hospital de los Venerables
Hospital de los Venerables is split into a main two storied building and then a chapel/ church. The audio guide will ensure you don’t miss anything important, but you can explore at your own leisure as well (especially if you’re short of time).
As an art space, the main focus of the buildings is on the painter Diego Velázquez with a whole centre dedicated to his work.
Here are some of the other specific parts of the Hospital de los Venerables that you should make sure you check out when visiting:
The Church
The church is the main attraction when visiting Hospital de los Venerables, and is what most people pay the entrance fee to see. Designed by Justino de Neve, the church is one of the finest examples of Baroque architecture in Seville.
The chapel has some of the most beautiful ceiling murals I’ve seen (and I’ve been to Rome!) painted by Juan de Valdés Leal (helped by his son!) and makes for some excellent photos.
The church area is filled with paintings and sculptures, all with a rich history that are worth spending the time exploring.
The Patio/Gardens
The patio and gardens of Los Venerables is very typical of the South of Spain and similar to some of the other major palaces and buildings in Andalusia.
Pay special attention to the tile work (classic Spanish ceramics), intricate sculptures and small fountains around the patio.
When you add in the perfectly manicured trees and plants, combined with the great Spanish weather – it really is a peaceful paradise in the centre of the city – worth the entrance fee alone!
Temporary Exhibits
The hospital is also home to many different art exhibitions throughout the year, often celebrating Spanish artists from the last few centuries.
For example, the last time I visited I was able to see some work from Picasso, so it’s well worth checking the official website to see what’s on currently.
History of Hospital de los Venerables
The building of Hospital de los Venerables was originally built in the 17th century (1675) by Justino de Neve and was primarily used as a retirement home for aged priests.
Despite not actually being a hospital, the building was used to care for and nurse older, sick, priests and provide a shelter when they were no longer able to continue their duties.
The main architectural style of the building is Baroque, and is quite elaborate in design. The famous chapel was designed by Leonardo de Figueroa, a prominent Spanish architect of the time.
In the early 20th century the building was abandoned as a retirement home for priests, and lay dormant for many years before being restored and converted to a cultural centre and museum.
Today the building is used as a museum, hosting exhibitions, seminars and art events celebrating Spanish artists.
Hospital de los Venerables Location and How to Get There
The Hospital de los Venerables is located in central Seville, in the historic district of Santa Cruz, making it convenient to visit alongside a large number of Seville’s top attractions (it’s literally right next to the Cathedral).
It is possible to walk to the building from the centre, and it is easy to get to via public transport.
You can get to Los Venerables by taking the tram. The closest tram stop is Archivo de Indias Station which is then a 6 minute walk to the building.
For the Metro, get the L1 (line 1) to Puerta de Jerez station which is then a 4 minute walk away.
With regards to buses, you can take any of the following TUSSAM buses (C4, C3, 5, 41, 42, C1 and C2) and get off at Jardines del Cristina Station, which takes you within 5 minutes walk of the Hospital de los Venerables.
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