Hospital de la Caridad

The Beginnings of Santa Caridad

The Santa Caridad Brotherhood was founded in the middle of the 15th century with the aim of accompanying those sentenced to death in their last moments, as well as acting as a burial ground for those who drowned in the river or those who died from an epidemic of any kind.

The role of Santa Caridad changed significantly with the arrival of Miguel Mañara, who took it upon himself to create a hospice to provide food and shelter to the needy. Sometime later, an area was built for the terminally ill, who were rejected from other places.

Discovering the Hospital

After entering the Hospital de la Caridad through the old door, you'll see a main patio with fountains, surrounded by columns and beautifully decorated with tiles. In the Sala de Cabildos, some of Mañara's personal objects can still be found, as well as some paintings.

The most interesting part of the hospital is its church, a masterpiece of Seville Baroque architecture, with a single nave covered by a barrel vault. From the outside, we can see elegant tile decoration, and inside there is a theme based on charity and compassion.

Interesting, But Not Essential

The Hospital de la Caridad has great importance with regard to the history of Seville, and locals hold it in high esteem. Despite this, Seville is full of amazing places to visit so, depending on how long you're staying in the city, this may not be on the top of your list of places to see.

The hospital continues to house the elderly who do not have financial means, and it uses the money raised from tourism to help maintain the facilities.