La Rabida Children's Hospital seeks to be named America's Most Beautiful
La Rabida Children's Hospital along Lake Michigan in Chicago's Jackson Park is asking for help from the public to earn a new title.
It is vying to be designated America's Most Beautiful Hospital.
Located at 6501 S. Promontory Dr., La Rabida Children's Hospital is a small pediatric specialty facility that provides care for kids with chronic conditions and developmental disabilities. The hospital has both inpatient and outpatient facilities, and accepts patients regardless of ability to pay.
The roots of the hospital date back to the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893, when the Spanish government created a replica of La Rábida Monastery in the Andalusia region of Spain.
After the fair, the Spanish consulate donated the building to the City of Chicago for use as a fresh-air sanitarium. The building assumed that role beginning in 1896, treating kids suffering from ailments such as typhoid, diphtheria, and scarlet fever.
To this day, the hospital touts the benefits of the lakeside environment. Each patient's room has a view of the lake, and outdoor activity is part of the young patients' treatment plans.
The hospital is seeking to be named the most beautiful not only for its aesthetics, but also for the care it offers the community.
"La Rabida's historic location, lush green campus, and Great Lake view make the hospital a beautiful place, but we all know that true beauty comes from what's inside," hospital president and chief executive officer Dr. Rolla T. Sweis said in a news release. "It's the incredible compassion of our team members, the dedication of our volunteers, and the endless spirit of our young patients and their families."
This is not all about mere bragging rights. The title of Most Beautiful Hospital comes with a $5,000 donation from Soliant Health.
La Rabida ranked No. 4 in the country among most beautiful hospitals in 2025, up from Ni. 17 in 2024. As of Thursday, it was ranking third, but voting is not over until Friday, Oct. 16.
Anyone who wants to vote can do so through Soliant Health. There are no voting limits.
