ere, hospital has a different meaning than the one we normally use, the place where people who are ill are looked after by nurses and doctors. There were three different hospitals in Benasque. The oldest one, dating from the medieval period, is being excavated by archaeologists. The second one, which operated from the XVIII century until the middle of the XIX century, is going to be excavated soon. And the third one, after many years of abandonment, has been finally reconstructed. The Knights of the Saint John of Jerusalem’s order, after the Knights of Malta, founded both hospitals of Benasque to benefit the peregrines and the travellers at the end of the XII century.

In September 1172, the King Alfonso II awarded the Knights some fields near the Gorgutes’ port “ad Portum Gorgutes”. There were placed the animals, essential for the conservation of the hospital and for the peregrines’ keep. Then, the Romanesque Church, the refugee and other complementary buildings were built. Nobody knows why it was abandoned and the third one was constructed. It is said that it could be damaged by an enormous avalanche, but this information has never been contrasted. It is also said, that the old building was far away from the path of the new Benasque’s Port at the end of the XVIII century.

The “new” hospital did not have a church, just rooms to lodge travellers and some stables to keep the animals. It was also used as a quarter for carabineers. Around 1870 an avalanche destroyed it, and the town council, the actual owner, decided to rebuild the hospital in a safer place. The third hospital continued developing the same functions as the second one. It was abandoned after the Civil War, and after that it was just used by herdsman, hunters and climbers.

After many years of abandonment, the building was very deteriorated. The town council of Benasque decided to rent it on condition that it was reconstructed. The Hospital de Benasque S.L. hired and reconstructed it.