The construction of the Colònia Güell began in 1.890 by the initiative of the entrepreneur Eusebi Güell in his country estate «Can Soler de la Torre», located in the municipality of Santa Coloma de Cervelló, in the Baix Llobregat area.The interest of escaping the social conflicts arisen in the city made the new industry to be conceived within the framework of an industrial colony; with housing of the workers next to the mill, within the property, constituting an urban nucleus with its own social and economic life albeit overseen by the company.
In contrast to most industrial colonies in Catalonia, Eusebi Güell worked to improve the social conditions of his workers and applied his cultural patronage in the Colònia, providing it with cultural and religious facilities of a modernist design which were developed by different architects, most notably Gaudí to whom he entrusted the building of the church.