'LA COLÒNIA GÜELL', WHERE ALL THE DREAMS STARTED

The Watsons visit La Casa del Mestre, Colònia Güell

Today, The Watsons and The Grandma have visited the neighboured Colònia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervelló.

They have spent the day visiting this incredible site and learning more things about Antoni Gaudí and his influence in this textile colony, and near it, in Sant Boi Mental Hospital, where all indicates, he started his works.

The Watsons have continued their English for Sales courses surrounded by nature in this amazing and unforgettable place, a must for Antoni Gaudí's admirers but also for everyone who likes Architecture and History. They have revised the irregular forms of the Past Simple.

More information: Past Simple-Irregular Forms

The Colònia Güell, one of the most pioneering purpose-built industrial villages of the 19th century is located in the town of Santa Coloma de Cervelló, 23 Km to the south-west of Barcelona.

Gaudí developed the architectural innovations of his later works in the church crypt, which has been designated a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The Church of Colònia Güell, in Catalan Cripta de la Colònia Güell, is an unfinished work by Antoni Gaudí. It was built as a place of worship for the people on a hillside in a manufacturing suburb in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, near Barcelona, Catalonia.

More information: Portal Gaudí

Colònia Güell was the brainchild of Count Eusebi Güell; who enlisted the help of architect Antoni Gaudí in 1898. However, work was not started until 1908, 10 years after commission. The plan for the building consisted of constructing two naves, an upper and a lower, two towers, and one forty-meter-high central dome.

In 1914, the Güell family halted construction due to the death of Count Güell. At the time, the lower nave was almost complete so between the years of 1915 and 1917, it was completed and readied for use.

The Watsons visit La Cripta, Colònia Güell

The Church is one of the seven properties Gaudí built near Barcelona that are Unesco World Heritage Sites. Collectively, these sites are known as the Works of Antoni Gaudí, and show his, exceptional creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

At the age of 28, the Church of Colònia Güell was one of several commissions Gaudí received from Count Güell in the suburb of Santa Coloma de Cervelló.

To start the designing process of the church, Gaudí used his very unique process of gravity and rope, known as a funicular system. As seen in the planning of La Sagrada Família, Gaudí hung hemp ropes attached to lead-filled sacks from the ceiling. By doing this, it allowed him to reproduce the curves of the church at a 1:10 scale.

Gaudí also used canvas sheets to imitate the vaults and walls of the structure. By weighing down the ropes with lead-filled sacks, it allowed him to see the loads that would be exerted on the actual structure. To turn this hanging structure into his actual design, Gaudí photographed his model, flipped the image, and traced over it while adding some ornament and design. All that remains of the model for Church of Colònia Güell is an image in a book written by architect Josep Francesc Ráfols i Fontanals.

More information: Catalunya

This method of planning led to the development of a new architectural vocabulary, such as hyberbolic paraboloids and hyperboloids, which are prominent elements in many of Gaudí's designs.

The crypt portion of the church, constructed from 1908 to 1915, was the only segment of the church that was fully completed. It was built partially below ground, due to being on a hillside, and it was designed so that it would feel like it belonged in the surrounding nature. There are pillars on the exterior of the crypt, made of many bricks, while others were made of a solid block of stone. The roof of the structure has a geometric shape that is morphed by the connecting of the various pillars.

The crypt is very dimly lit, due to it being built partially underground since the structure is on a hillside. There are however, 22 lead stained glass windows in the crypt, to let in some colorful lighting.

Although it remains unfinished, the chapel is a very important aspect of the church. The designs of the chapel is similar to that of the Sagrada Família. This is a common theme seen throughout the church, since Gaudí used it in preparation for the building of the Sagrada Família. He tested many of his ideas and theories here, since Güell gave him the liberty of being as creative as possible.

The shape of the worship area was planned in extensive detail, right down to the pews. All of the furniture in the Church was designed by Gaudí himself, and have been preserved. Very few pieces of his furniture have been saved, though some examples are still seen in the Sagrada Família and private homes.

More information: The Culture Trip

Color in certain places has the great value of making

the outlines and structural planes seem more energetic.

Antoni Gaudí

VISITING THE MODERNISM PARTY IN THE COLÒNIA GÜELL

Castellers de Sants & The Grandma

Today, The Grandma has had an intensive day. In the morning, she has visited some old friends who are members of Castellers de Sants, a human towers group which celebrates its 25th anniversary.

In the afternoon, The Grandma has gone to Colònia Güell to visit the Modernism party. She has been with Claire Fontaine and Tonyi Tamaki and they have spent a nice afternoon talking with an old friend, Cristina Poppins. She has realized that she has done in 2018 the same travel that Eusebi Güell did in 1890, from Sants to Santa Coloma de Cervelló.

During the travel from Sants to the Colònia Güell, The Grandma has studied a new lesson of her First Certificate Language Practice manual (Vocabulary 17).

More information: Feelings and opinions

Colònia Güell (Güell's Colony) is a population center located in the Baix Llobregat region. Belongs to the municipality of Santa Coloma de Cervelló. It stands out to be one of the largest colonies of the Llobregat, due to its architectural quality and because it is exclusively driven by steam power in its origins, compared to other colonies, mainly driven by hydraulic energy.

The construction maker Francesc Berenguer i Mestres and the architect Joan Rubió i Bellver took part in the construction. Antoni Gaudí projected the church, in which Berenguer, Rubió and Canaleta also worked.

The Grandma in the Colònia Güell

It has been declared a Cultural Good of National Interest, in the category of Historic Ensemble in 1991. The church, otherwise called the crypt of Gaudí, has been declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2005.

More information: UNESCO

The Church of Colònia Güell is an unfinished work by Antoni Gaudí. It was built as a place of worship for the people in a manufacturing suburb in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, near Barcelona. Colònia Güell was the brainchild of Count Eusebi de Güell; however, with Güell losing profits from his business, the money was depleted and only the crypt was completed.

More information: Colònia Güell

Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, 1st Count of Güell (15 December 1846-8 July 1918) was a Catalan entrepreneur who profited greatly from the industrial revolution in Catalonia in the late 19th century. He married Luisa Isabel Lopez y Bru, a daughter of Antonio López y López first Marquis of Comillas, in 1871 and the couple had ten children. One of Güell's daughters, Isabel Güell i López, became a noted composer.

Güell was born in Barcelona and was the son of Joan Güell i Ferrer, a wealthy industrialist from Torredembarra who had amassed considerable riches during his stay in Cuba and thanks to the numerous activities established at his return in Barcelona. His mother, Francesca Bacigalupi i Dolcer, was a member of an ancient merchant family from Genoa who had moved to Catalonia in the late 18th century.

The Grandma & Eusebi Güell in the Colònia Güell

Güell took over his father's business, which was predominantly in textiles, and added to the family's wealth.  

Güell met the young architect, Antoni Gaudí, following a visit to the World Fair held in Paris in 1878, where he had seen Gaudí's work at the Spanish Pavilion. The pair become lifelong friends and associates and found that they had mutual interests, including religion, both were devout Catholics. 

Güell became a Mediciesque patron to architect Antoni Gaudí. Their many collaborations began at the start of Gaudí's career, when Güell saw Gaudí as the man who could provide him with uniquely designed buildings.

Among Güell's early commissions for the aspiring architect were the Bodega Güell, winery, at Garraf, the Pavellons Güell and Park Güell which was originally the Güell family home and only later bequeathed to the state.

Download Colònia Güell Guide

In 1890, Güell moved his textile factory from Sants to Santa Coloma de Cervelló, north of Barcelona. There he established a worker's colony along the lines of the British worker's colonies which had been built in the late nineteenth century. The colony or village at Santa Coloma, now known as Colònia Güell, was built with high socialist ideals; homes with larger than average rooms, wide windows and good ventilation so that the textile workers and their families could enjoy comfortable living conditions. 

Old memories in the Colònia Güell

The village was to be relatively self-contained and included shops, cafes, a theatre, library and a school, only for boys. In 1890, Gaudí was commissioned to build a church and crypt on the hill overlooking the village.

However, Güell ran into financial difficulties and the project was eventually abandoned. In spite of its unfinished status, the work is a masterpiece and demonstrates many of Gaudí's signature architectural devices including catenary arches and tessellated finishes. The village, which is still fully operational boasts many fine examples of modernist architecture.

Reportedly on one occasion Gaudí said to Güell, Sometimes I think we are the only people who like this architecture. Güell replied, I don't like your architecture, I respect it.

in 1900, Güell bought land in Gràcia, Barcelona and employed Gaudí to build an estate for the rich. At that time, the area was considered to be remote and the project failed to realize commercial success. Only two houses were built. In 1923, the Güell family gave the land to the city, as Park Güell.

King Alfonso XIII ennobled Eusebi Güell as count in 1908. He died in his house in Park Güell in 1918.

More information: The Culture Trip

Anything created by human beings 

is already in the great book of nature.

Antoni Gaudí

THE BEANS DISCOVER THE ANCIENT SECRETS OF LIGHT

Natalia Bean prepares Nachos con Guacamole

This morning, The Beans have continued their English classes practising with Countable and Uncountable. 

It's not an easy thing and they must work very hard to have success.

They have also reviewed some aspects of Present Simple and Social English before leaving Dominican Republic and arrive to Mexico where Natalia Bean has offered an incredible surprise to them.

More information: Countable & Uncountable List 

During the flight, the family has discussed apassionately about education and the educational system. It's a deep and hard theme with different points of view that join in one: the school is a place to take knowledge and home is the place to be educated.

Past picture of The Grandma in Majorca's Cathedral

Next, The Grandma has talked about February, 2, the an important day for Azteca culture but also for Mediterranean one. 

Today, in some buildings of the Mediterranean countries you can watch the effect of eight thanks to the position of the sun and the special characteristics of the buildings.

Download The Calculations of La Sagrada Família

Meanwhile, in Punxsutawney, Phil has predicted six more weeks before the end of winter,  The Grandma has continued her story talking about one of the greatest genius of the last century, Antoni Gaudí, who influenced by nature built the most spectacular and mysterious buildings that you can imagine like the Colònia Güell or The Sagrada Família.

Download Barcelona's Natural Wonder

The architect started to work in his creations in Sant Boi de Llobregat and from there he imagined incredible fantasy worlds which he built some years later.

Finally, The Grandma has fallen asleep and has been dreaming about The Beans visiting The Sagrada Família... 

Download Antoni Gaudí Works

Nothing is art if it does not come from nature. 

Antoni Gaudí

LA SAGRADA FAMÍLIA: WHAT'S THE TRUTH?

The Sagrada Família

Today has been a very special day.

The Collins Family has arrived to Barcelona to visit the Sagrada Família, the most famous Antoni Gaudi’s work, although it’s not the most interesting: La Colònia Güell is the most enigmatic one. 

This visit has been a personal gift of MJ, N and M for the family.

Download Barcelona's Natural Wonder by Antoni Gaudí

The Sagrada Família

After taking the public transport for avoiding the World Mobile Congress crowd, they have reached their objective: staying at 10:15 in the main entrance called Façana del Naixement. They’ve obtained their audio guides and they’ve entered into the Temple for discovering the power of the nature in Gaudí’s architecture. 

The weather has been fantastic: sunny and warm day and this has helped the visitors to experiment the mystery of the colours inside. 

The Collins Family has taken lots of photos and has talked about the symbolism of Gaudí and the Sagrada Família parallelisms with Majorca’s Cathedral.

Animals like turtles, tortoises, snakes, snails, salamanders and lizards have appeared from different and hidden places of the building and different Sant Jordi (Saint George) have protected us during the visit.

The Sagrada Família

Once the ground plant has been visited, The Collins Family has gone to contemplate the essence of life’s mysteries in the other side of the Temple: La façana de la Passió created by Josep Maria Subirachs an incredible and magic hieroglyph about life and existence.

Symbols of Alfa and Omega have reminded us that all things, even life, have a beginning and an end; an enigmatic magic square has showed us how important are mathematics in our existence; the maze has explained us how difficult sometimes can be choosing the correct way and the Salvador Espriu’s words has evocated the importance of respect and tolerance between different cultures and races. 

Two hours and a half later, exhausted, The Collins Family has returned to the hotel in Sant Boi de Llobregat, a beautiful town near Barcelona, next to one of the most important places around the planet: La Colònia Güell.

Download The calculations of La Sagrada Família by Antoni Gaudí

Who knows where the world may
turn us, only a fool would say
Who knows what the fate may
have in store
Follow the light of truth as far
as our eyes can see
How should we knows where that
may be? How should we know?

Alan Parsons Project