Colonia Güell Church

church, Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain

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June 24, 2026

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The Colonia Güell Church, also known as the Crypt of Colònia Güell, is located in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, Spain. This church was a significant project for the renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, who worked on it from 1890 to 1916.1

Gaudí utilized his innovative "equilibrated" structural system for this church. This system is designed so that the building can stand on its own without internal bracing or external buttressing, much like a tree supports itself. The church is noted for its complex geometries and its integration of architectural structure and surface design, giving it the appearance of a natural object. Although Gaudí's work on the Sagrada Família occupied most of his career, the Colonia Güell Church was a crucial site for him to experiment with and develop his unique architectural approach.21

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Antoni Gaudí
Mature work
…in Barcelona, and in the Cripta de la Colònia Güell (1890–1916; “Crypt of Güell Colony”), south of that city, he arrived at a type of structure that has come to be called equilibrated—that is, a structure designed to stand on its own without internal bracing, external buttressing, and the like—or,…
Read More
…in Barcelona, and in the Cripta de la Colònia Güell (1890–1916; “Crypt of Güell Colony”), south of that city, he arrived at a type of structure that has come to be called equilibrated—that is, a structure designed to stand on its own without internal bracing, external buttressing, and the like—or,…
Read More