Barcelona Weekend Break

Colonia Guell

Yet another of Gaudi's amazing modernist designs, this one is a church and crypt and was constructed between the years of 1908 and 1914 from a design conceived in 1898.

The building takes its name from Gaudi's biggest benefactor, Eusebi Guell, who also has a Gaudi designed palace and park named after him.

As with all of Gaudi's designs, this church features unusual and irregular statements that range from strangely shaped columns to windows that project outwards from the walls.

Once inside the church, the internal columns are far from vertical and travel from floor to roof at various angles that ensure that you never see a pure "right angle".

Gaudi's famous use of colour sees the stained glass windows bringing in a myriad of multi coloured splashes of light into the church and (as was no doubt his aim) the whole thing seems slightly surreal.

This building is not the high point of Gaudi's architectural achievements, but it is worth seeing and gives you a break from the main city centre of Barcelona.

Tourist information

The site has a visitor centre that offers information about Gaudi, the church and more.

You get to Colonia Guell via a 20 minute train trip from Barcelona. It costs just over one euro each way and the trains are regular.

Opening times vary dependent on the time of year and there is normally a daily mass. The church is usually open from 10.00am to 7.00pm in summer with one hours lunch break (2.00pm to 3.00pm). Hours are reduced on Sunday and during the winter. The visitor centre opens just before the church.