Skip to content
  • AB
    • About Us
    • Barcelona Apartments
    • Contact Us
  • Tourist Guide
    • Places
    • Food and Drink
    • Nightlife
    • Shopping
    • Museums
  • Things To Do
    • Activities
    • Events
    • Day Trips
    • Tours
    • Outside Barcelona
  • Visiting Barcelona
    • Accommodation
    • Useful Information
    • Neighborhoods
    • Gaudí
    • Bars, Cafés and Restaurants
    • Summer
  • Spanish life
    • People
    • Culture
    • Traditions
  • EnglishEnglish
    • SpanishEspañol
    • FrenchFrançais
    • ItalianItaliano
    • GermanDeutsch
    • DutchNederlands
    • RussianРусский
    • Chinese (Simplified)简体中文
Menu
AB Blog
  • AB
    • About Us
    • Barcelona Apartments
    • Contact Us
  • Tourist Guide
    • Places
    • Food and Drink
    • Nightlife
    • Shopping
    • Museums
  • Things To Do
    • Activities
    • Events
    • Day Trips
    • Tours
    • Outside Barcelona
  • Visiting Barcelona
    • Accommodation
    • Useful Information
    • Neighborhoods
    • Gaudí
    • Bars, Cafés and Restaurants
    • Summer
  • Spanish life
    • People
    • Culture
    • Traditions
  • EnglishEnglish
    • SpanishEspañol
    • FrenchFrançais
    • ItalianItaliano
    • GermanDeutsch
    • DutchNederlands
    • RussianРусский
    • Chinese (Simplified)简体中文
Hit enter to search or esc to close
Home  >  Architecture • Culture • Day Trips • Gaudí • Home • Museums • Outside Barcelona • Things To Do  >  Discover Colònia Güell

Discover Colònia Güell

Colonia Guell

Think you already know everything about Gaudí? Think again! We all know that Gaudí is famous for his incredible architecture, mostly found in Barcelona, however he also has a few lesser-known (but equally as beautiful) architectural masterpieces across Catalonia and other regions in Spain. The beautiful crypt, situated in the Colònia Güell village, is one of his most impressive works and is located just 23km from Barcelona, in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, making it the perfect spot for a day trip filled with plenty of culture and history!

 

HistoryA little bit of history

In 1890 Gaudí’s patron and industrialist, Eusebi Güell, had to move his textile factory outside of the city of Barcelona to Santa Coloma de Cervelló due to social unrest. The new project involved the creation of an industrial village with amenities to improve the workers’ quality of life: terraced houses, a theatre, a school, several shops, gardens and a church, now known as the Crypt, were included in his innovative urban planning concept. A bunch of leading modernist architects were involved in the construction of the village, resulting in beautifully designed buildings, and Gaudí was commissioned to design the church, which is nowadays a hidden tourist spot and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In 1973 the factory closed due to the crisis in the textile sector. In the year 2000 refurbishment finally began on the more than 20 unique buildings of the Colònia Güell. Nowadays it is still a calm village with a lot to discover when exploring Gaudí’s path through Catalonia.

 

The Cryptgaudi crypt

What you can visit nowadays, known as the Crypt of Colònia Güell, was originally planned to be the church of Colònia Güell. The Crypt is a highly impressive artwork and one of Gaudís hidden treasures. According to the plan, the building consisted of an upper and lower nave, towers at the sides and a belfry measuring 40m in height. Gaudí was given total freedom and unlimited budget to build the church from his patron Eusebi Güell, although in 1914, when the lower nave had been completed, the Güell family withdrew the funding for the project and the building was left unfinished until today.

The church became a laboratory for Gaudí’s architectural innovations: catenary arches, twisted columns and unusually-shaped vaults. When you take a closer look, you can discover the decorative broken mosaic tiling, known as “trencadís”. Basically the Crypt was a huge experiment and lead to many revolutionary building solutions that were later used on the Sagrada Familía. Finally, the Crypt was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in July 2005.

Check out Barcelona’s other UNESCO World Heritage Sites, there’s a whopping nine in total!

 

Colonia VillageThe Colònia

In addition to Gaudi’s church, the Colònia Güell gives visitors the opportunity to explore its beautiful streets while admiring the most important Catalan artnouveau or modernist buildings of the village, which are a must for those interested in architecture and history. Especially considering the time when the village was built, the concept of Colònia is quite extraordinary. Specifically, this meant that the families lived in relatively comfortable single-family homes, had access to education and culture, medical care, and a better social life.

 

Visit the museumMuseum colonia guell

For a more detailed insight you can also visit the interpretation centre inside the former workers’ cooperative. The centre has a permanent exhibition that provides information about the village and the crypt in particular.

Farmer’s market

If you visit Colònia Güell on a Saturday, you can enjoy the farmer’s market and buy some local and seasonal fruits. Every Saturday morning, agriculturists from the Baix Llobregat come to the village and sell their fresh products and hand-crafted items to residents and visitors of the Colònia Güell.

 

raco de can valentiCafés and restaurants

When strolling around and discovering all of the beautiful buildings, you may become a little peckish. Whether you’re looking for snacks, lunch or dinner, the restaurant El Racó de Can Valentí offers plenty of delicious Catalan dishes. Another more affordable option is Granja Güell Cafetería offering tasty churros, café and healthy snacks in a cosy atmosphere.

 

How to get there

The easiest way is to get there by FGC trains (Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya) from Espanya railway station to Santa Coloma de Cervelló with the lines S33, S8 and S4. The station of arrival is literally called ‘Colònia Güell’, so there should be no confusion on where to get off the train! Once at the station, you just need follow the blue footsteps to the Visitors’ center, then you’re ready to explore!

Opening hours

• From 1st November to 30th April: Monday to Friday from 10am to 5pm
• From 1st May to 31st October: Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm
• Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays from 10am to 3pm

For more information and ticket prices, check out the Colònia Güell’s official website.

Tags: barcelona architecture barcelona attractions barcelona culture barcelona day trips barcelona museums barcelona places barcelona tourist guide sightseeing in barcelona visiting barcelona
AB Apartment Barcelona

AB Apartment Barcelona is an online apartment rental company with over 1000 apartments to rent for short and long-term stays. Stay up to date with our blog for Barcelona tips and info for your trip.

FacebookTwitterPinterest
Previous Article Best Places for Milkshakes and Smoothies in Barcelona
Next Article 50 Things to do in Barcelona

Subscribe Now to Our Newsletter, It's Free! Get the best content delivered straight into
your inbox!

Related Posts

catalan vermouth history

The History and Origins of Vermouth in Catalonia

Trace the past of vermouth in Catalonia and explore the story of the production and consumption of this flavorful drink. Learn about the different varieties of Vermouth and how it has become an important part of the Catalan region’s heritage.

Read More about The History and Origins of Vermouth in Catalonia
Posted By AB Apartment Barcelona Posted on September 26, 2023
Comments are off
autumn pexels

Outdoor Autumnal Activities in Barcelona 2023

Spending autumn in Barcelona but still want to make the most of the great outdoors with your family? Take some inspiration to make sure you have an unforgettable autumn in Barcelona

Read More about Outdoor Autumnal Activities in Barcelona 2023
Posted By AB Apartment Barcelona Posted on September 21, 2023
0

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Find an apartment

The Weather in Barcelona

Weather – Tutiempo.net

  • Popular
  • Recent
  • Las Ramblas, Barcelona
    The Tourist Tax in Barcelona – All You Need to Know November 20, 2012
  • montjuic
    The Magic Fountain of Barcelona October 2, 2013
  • pacha-barcelona
    Barcelona Nightlife – The Best Bars and Clubs in Port Olímpic August 5, 2016
  • The Wonderful Works of Gaudí in Barcelona June 20, 2012
  • Gothic
    Barcelona Neighbourhoods guide: Discover the Gothic Quarter September 28, 2023
  • catalan vermouth history
    The History and Origins of Vermouth in Catalonia September 26, 2023
  • autumn pexels
    Outdoor Autumnal Activities in Barcelona 2023 September 21, 2023
  • ceramic schools and workshops barcelona
    The 6 Best Ceramic Schools and Workshops in Barcelona September 19, 2023

Subscribe

Subscribe now to our Newsletter, It's Free! Get the best content delivered straight into your inbox!

More top Barcelona tips

Tweets by @ApartmentBCN
Facebook Twitter YouTube
Follow us on Instagram

    About us

    AB Apartment Barcelona is an online tourist apartment agency with more than 1000  Barcelona apartments to rent for both short and long-term stays.

    From luxury apartments in Barcelona to studios and from Ramblas apartments to beach apartments in Barcelona, we have a great choice of accommodation in a wide variety of locations across the city. We now also offer apartments in Costa Dorada and Sitges.

    Whether you are coming to Barcelona on a short break, vacation, or even if you want to move here, you will find the perfect home-away-from-home with AB Apartment Barcelona.

    Social Media

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    Categories

    • Accommodation 18 Posts
    • Architecture 48 Posts
    • Bars, Cafés and Restaurants 189 Posts
    • Culture 170 Posts
    • Day Trips 101 Posts

    Recent Posts

    • Gothic
      Barcelona Neighbourhoods guide: Discover the Gothic Quarter September 28, 2023
    • catalan vermouth history
      The History and Origins of Vermouth in Catalonia September 26, 2023
    • autumn pexels
      Outdoor Autumnal Activities in Barcelona 2023 September 21, 2023
    • ceramic schools and workshops barcelona
      The 6 Best Ceramic Schools and Workshops in Barcelona September 19, 2023
    Apartment Barcelona
    • Privacy Policy
    • Tourist Guide
    • Things To Do
    • Visiting Barcelona
    • Spanish Life