ROYAL HOSPITAL
Royal Hospital: 16th century - former hospital and prison - Avda Hospicio
If you come down from the Albaicín on the bus, this is the square building you can see behind the Triunfo gardens (Jardines de Triunfo) when the bus stops to turn round before going along the Gran Vía.
Commissioned by Isabel and Fernando (the "Catholic Monarchs") in 1504, the Royal Hospital was designed by the architect Enrique Egas and building started in 1511. Over the years, it was used for a variety of purposes. Originally, it served as a hospital for the poor, pilgrims and soldiers who had been injured during the conquest of Granada. After 1536, however, it was also used as a prison for mad people, and San Juan de Dios was kept here for a time when he was considered to be insane. At a later date, it was also used to treat people from all over Spain who were suffering form venereal diseases (and syphilis in particular).
It was one of the first buildings which the monarchs built in Granada and was situated outside the city walls. The building has now been taken over by the University of Granada and is the seat of the Vice-chancellor's Office and other university services.