The crypt hidden under the hillsides of Colonia Güell in Santa Coloma de Cervelló, near Barcelona, is an unfinished work by Antoni Gaudí. This project was commissioned by Count Eusebi de Güell and construction began in 1908. The structure is designed so that it feels like it belongs in the surrounding nature, featuring pillars made of bricks and others made of a solid block of stone.
The roof of the structure has a geometric shape morphed by the connecting of the various pillars. Because it is built partially below ground on a hillside, the crypt is very dimly lit, though it contains 22 lead stained glass windows to let in colorful lighting. The crypt portion was the only segment of the church that was fully completed between 1908 and 1915.
Although the chapel remains unfinished, it was used to test many of Gaudí's ideas and theories because Count Güell allowed him to be as creative as possible. Recent restorations in 2000 made the structure more tourist-friendly, allowing visitors to stand on the roof, which would have been the church floor. The project remains one of the seven properties Gaudí built near Barcelona that are UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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