The Episcopal Palace of Astorga in Spain, designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí, is one of only three buildings outside Catalonia he designed. However, it is not the completed building you would expect. Built between 1889 and 1913, it was meant to be topped by a massive angel, but the plans were abandoned.
While the building is beautiful, with its four cylindrical towers and gray granite from El Bierzo, it is the story of the angel that draws us in. The angel, though never mounted, was originally designed by Gaudí for the palace. According to the source material, the bishop who commissioned the building from Gaudí died before construction began, leading to the palace being completed by Ricardo Garcia Guereta in 1915.
During the Spanish Civil War, the building served as a headquarters for the Falange. Today, it is a museum of religious art, showcasing the Beautiful Way of Santiago. The absence of the angel adds to the allure of the palace, a testament to the creative vision of Gaudí, unfulfilled.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nik Frost
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