The Hospital del Rey (Burgos) was founded in 1195 by King Alfonso VIII of Castile and Leonor Plantagenet. The building’s primary purpose was to provide shelter for pilgrims passing through the city on the Camino de Santiago (Martínez, 1986). Beginning in 1812, it entered a period of decline as a result of the War of Independence. Furthermore, in 1822, the Municipal Charity Board sought to take over the hospital until, finally, in 1874, it was absorbed by the crown (Sánchez, 2012). Today, it serves as the headquarters of the University of Burgos.
Bibliography
MARTÍNEZ GARCÍA, Luis (1986): El Hospital del Rey de Burgos. Un señorío medieval en la expansión y en la crisis (siglos XIII y XIV), Tesis doctoral. Universidad de Burgos, Burgos.