Jardín del Hospital

The Jardín del Hospital is one of those spots that feel like a secret: a quiet garden raised among the remains of the old Hospital General, next to the MuVIM, in the El Pilar district. Gothic arches and columns peer out from the greenery. That dialogue between ruin and garden earned it international recognition in 2015 as the best public garden in the world.

A unique history

This was the site of the world's first documented psychiatric hospital: the Hospital de Ignoscents, Folls e Orats ('Hospital of the Innocent, Mad and Raving'), founded in 1409 by friar Joan Gilabert Jofré, who preached against the mistreatment of the mentally ill. Over time it concentrated the city's health services. The original building burned in the great fire of 1545; today the Gothic doorway on Calle Hospital survives, along with one of the old infirmaries (now a library) and the Gothic remains scattered through the garden.

What to see

• The Gothic arcades and columns woven into the vegetation.
• The old Renaissance infirmary, now the Public Library.
• The contrast with the modern MuVIM cube right beside it.

Practical tips

Entry to the garden is free, and it's a few minutes' walk from the historic centre (metro Xàtiva or Àngel Guimerà). Come mid-morning, in good light, to photograph the arches among the foliage.

LOCAL TIP: almost no one realises they're standing on the grounds of the world's first asylum; keep that history in mind and the garden reads differently. Take advantage of the free MuVIM to combine both visits, and pair it with other no-cost museums like the Fine Arts Museum or the Centre del Carme. More ideas in our guide to free things to do in València and in the city's places section.