Colonia Guell

The Colònia Güell was first set up in 1890 on the initiative of Eusebi Güell, a businessman, at his Can Soler de la Torre estate, in the municipality of Santa Coloma de Cervelló, where he moved his textile busines from Sants, now part of Barcelona.

Social conflicts in Barcelona at that time led him to set up the new factory equipped with the latest technology- outside the city on a model industrial estate, with the workers’ houses alongside the factory, forming an urban complex with its own character, and social and economic life, supervised by the company.

Unlike the majority of industrial estate owners in Catalonia, Eusebi Güell improved social conditions for is workers and sponsored cultural activities. He provided cultural and religious amenities at the Colònia Güell, which were built in the current Modernista style by various architects whomhe commissioned, notably Antoni Gaudí, who was responsible for the church.

The talent of master builders is also displayed on many buildings, which is particularly evident in the variety of cornices and details on the facades.