The dreaded and contagious leprosy attacked the region of La Marina Alta at the end of the 19th century. It led to the construction of leprosariums relatively far from the towns, where the sick went to live in order to avoid the spread of the disease.

In Gata de Gorgos, the leprosarium (known as La Casa de La Lepra) was located by the banks of the River Gorgos at a fairly high altitude, far from the northern winds and in a dry terrain with water nearby. This was done according to the medical guidelines from that period, which sought to control the disease and to improve the quality of the lives of the patients.

The house closed its doors in 1918 and all the patients were transferred to the sanatorium of Fontanilles. In the end, a part of the house was demolished so as to avoid infections.