The San Martín Centre for Contemporary Culture

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria · Category: Cultural spaces · Subcategory: Museums

The San Martín Centre for Contemporary Culture is a modern cultural centre which was inaugurated in 2011, and which offers visitors a varied programme of modern and contemporary art exhibitions, as well as musical concerts taking in all kinds of genres, plus theatre, courses, art workshops, round table discussions and conferences.

It is situated in the historic district of Vegueta, in the oldest part of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The emblematic building in which the San Martín is currently set was projected back in the 18th century as the city's first hospital and was used as such until fairly recently. Following the refurbishment of part of this beautiful and historic structure, the centre today is a dynamic cultural melting pot that has maintained its original structure around two courtyards and its former church. 

The grand building links the historical town centre of Vegueta with the surrounding neighbourhoods, is one of the great witnesses to the centuries of history that crowns the city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. The building brings in a diverse range of activities, responding to prevailing demand. Having started out as the New Hospital of San Martín (a witness to the former hospital from 1481, located in the Plaza de los Álamos) it was inaugurated in 1786, put forward by the Bishop Fray Juan Bautista de Servera, occupying a corner location of present day streets Ramón y Cajal and Sor Jesús. The construction of the plans was overseen by Agustín Lorenzo de La Rocha. Plans were laid out over two courtyards, with a church in the centre, whose three entrances converged on a porch featuring five arches. Other buildings were quickly added to this first structure, namely the Maternidad and the Hospice, which completed its long façade, the Panadería (bakery) and the Casa de Socorro. The building belongs to the Historic and Artistic Collection of Vegueta architectural structures, and represents the only surviving example of the old charity centres in the city. 

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