Church of Colònia Güell, Art Nouveau religious structure in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain
The Church of Colònia Güell is a religious building featuring a dramatic stone and brick crypt built partially into a hillside, with 22 stained glass windows in lead frames. The structure displays curved walls and arched forms that create an immersive underground space beneath the ground level.
Architect Antoni Gaudí designed and began construction on the building in 1898 as part of the factory community development plan. Work halted in 1914, with the lower level completed by 1917, leaving the upper structure unrealized.
Built to serve workers at a textile factory, the church reflects the factory owner's vision of creating a company town with spiritual and social spaces. Visitors can see how this place was meant to be the heart of community life for industrial workers.
The crypt is accessed through descending stairs into an underground chamber that remains cool and humid throughout the year. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended as the terrain is uneven and the slopes require careful footing.
Gaudí developed the building's curved forms using an unusual experimental method with hanging rope models weighted with sand, allowing gravity to guide the structural curves naturally. This approach meant the arches and vaults work without needing external bracing systems.
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