A monument for an industrialist: A Joan Güell i Ferrer

Joan Güell i Ferrer (Torredembarra, 1800 - Barcelona, 1872) was a towering figure in Catalan industry. Born in Torredembarra, he moved to Barcelona and founded the Vapor Vell de Sants, a textile factory that would become a symbol of the city's industrial revolution. As a champion of the protectionist movement, he founded numerous associations to support local industry, including the Junta de Fábricas de Catalunya, the Institut Industrial de Catalunya, and the Foment de la Producció Nacional. He also held several public offices, serving as regidor, diputado, and senador. He was succeeded by his son Eusebi Güell i Bacigalupi, who went on to become a patron of Antoni Gaudí.

In 1878, six years after his death, an initiative was launched to erect a monument in his honor in the city of Barcelona. The monument, designed by architect Joan Martorell and sculptors Rossend Nobas, Torquat Tasso, Eduard B. Alentorn, Maximí Sala, and Francesc Pagès i Serratosa, was built in 1888. However, it was not inaugurated until the following year, in the context of the Exposición Universal. The alcalde Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet and the president of the Consejo de ministros, Práxedes Mateo Sagasta, attended the inauguration.

The monument was originally placed at the crossroads of the Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and the Rambla de Catalunya, with Güell's figure looking towards the sea. However, the monument was destroyed in 1936 during the Spanish Civil War. The pedestal was dedicated to the victims of the 19th of July, but it was also destroyed shortly afterwards.

The monument was rebuilt between 1941 and 1945 by the architect Joaquim Vilaseca and the sculptor Frederic Marès. The statue of Güell was recreated based on photos of the original, while the base of the monument was completely remodeled, with a prismatic base 5 meters tall. The base features a medallion with the coat of arms of Barcelona supported by angelots, and reliefs on the other three sides representing Commerce, Industry, and Navigation in an art-deco style. Today, A Joan Güell i Ferrer stands as a testament to the ambition and legacy of one of Catalonia's most influential industrialists.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons