Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
established along Catalan rivers in the late nineteenth century,using water power to drive the
textile mills. The concept was a familiar one in Britain, where enlightened Victorian entre-
preneurs had long created idealistic towns (Saltaire, Bournville) to house their workers.
The Colònia Güell was begun in 1890, and by 1920 incorporated over one hundred houses
and public buildings, plus the chapel and crypt for which Gaudí was responsible. The Güell
company was taken over in 1945 and the whole complex closed as a going concern in 1973,
though the buildings have since been restored - and, indeed, many are still lived in today.
There are rows of terraced houses, with front gardens tended lovingly by the current inhabit-
ants, while brick towers, ceramic panels and stained glass elevate many of the houses above
the ordinary. It's a working village, so you'll also find a bank and pharmacy, as well as two
or three cafés and restaurants, and on Saturdays there is a farmers market.
Gaudí's church
May-OctMon-Fri10am-7pm,Sat&Sun10am-3pm;Nov-AprilMon-Fri10am-5pm,Sat&Sun10am-3pm;
closed for visits during Mass on Sun (11am & 1pm) • €7
Gaudí's church- built into the pine-clad hillside above the colony - is a masterpiece. While
you can see the angular exterior from the outside for free, to see the far more dramatic interi-
or you'll have to first buy a ticket at the visitor centre. The crypt was designed to carry the
weightofthechapelabove,itspalm-tree-likecolumnssupportingabrickvault,andthewhole
lot resembling a labyrinth of caves fashioned from a variety of different stone and brick. The
more extraordinary features of Gaudí's flights of fancy presage his later work on the Sagrada
Família - like the original scalloped pews, the conch shells used as water stoups, the vivid
stainedglassandthewindowthatopensuplikethewingsofabutterfly.Despiteappearances,
the church was never actually finished - Gaudí stopped work on it in 1914 - and continuing
restoration work aims to complete the outer walls, though Gaudí's planned 40m-high central
dome is unlikely ever to be realized.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: COLÒNIA GÜELL
Bytrain Take the FGC train S8 (direction Martorell; departures every 15-20min; fgc.cat )
fromPl.d'EspanyatothesmallColòniaGüellstation;theridetakes20min.Fromthestation,
follow the painted blue footprints across the highway and into the colònia directly to the vis-
itor centre (10min).
INFORMATION AND TOURS
Centre d'Acollida de Visitants (May-Oct Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat & Sun 10am-3pm;
Nov-April Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat & Sun 10am-3pm; 936 305 807, gaudicolo-
niaguell.org ). The visitor centre has an exhibition (with English notes).
Guidedtours Toursofthechurch,oftheestateorofboththechurchandtheestateareavail-
able daily throughout the year. An audio-guide is also offered.
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