Colonia Güell is situated in the village of Santa Coloma de Cervelló some 20 kilometres from Barcelona. It was formed on the country estate Can Soler de la Torre by Eusebi Güell.
The industrial entrepreneur moved his textile manufacture over here from Barcelona’s Sants district in beginning of the 1890s.
La délocalisation des usines hors des centres-villes était assez courante à la fin du 19e siècle. Des colonies ont été créées où les travailleurs vivaient à proximité des usines.
Unlike other industrials, Güell did seek to improve the living conditions of his employees beyond the average. In addition to guaranteed wages he also improved the social and cultural environment.
Thus in 1898 Güell asked his friend Antoni Gaudí to create a church for his workers. Gaudí started with several studies to develop a modell of the church which was installed in a pavillionnext to the construction site.
En 1908, la construction a enfin commencé. Elle prévoyait une église supérieure et une église inférieure avec plusieurs tours couronnées par un dôme central de 40 mètres.
Six years later, in 1914, Güell informed Gaudí that he would no longer be able to finance the works. Only the works on the bottom ship could still be completed. In November 1915 the bishop blessed the bottom ship of the church which became popularly known as the Crypt in Colonia Güell.
A replica of the model of the crypt can today be found in the museum below Sagrada Familia. The Crypt in Colonia Güell became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005.
Crypt of Colonia Güell – Facts
Admission : 5.05 Euros per person, 30% senior’s discount
Guide audio 2,00 euros (catalan, espagnol, anglais, français, italien et japonais)
Heures d'ouverture : Summer season (May to October) from 10.00 – 14.00 hrs and 15.00 – 19.00hrs
All weekends, public holidays and winter season(November to April) from 10.00 – 15.00 hrs
Fermé : 1er et 6 janvier, Pâques et Noël
How to get to Colonia Güell?
Take regional train S4, S8 or S33 from Plaza Espanya to Colonia Güell.
Official website with a virtual tour through the Crypt of Colonia Güell: www.virtualcoloniaguell.com
