Valencian architect Heliodoro Dols Morell, renowned for designing the Torreciudad sanctuary, one of the most emblematic works of contemporary religious architecture in Spain, died today in Zaragoza at the age of 91. Born in Valencia, he trained in Madrid and settled in Aragon, where he developed much of his work.

Dols was a member of the CX promotion of the Madrid School of Architecture, alongside figures such as Fernando Higueras, Curro Inza, Miguel de Oriol, Eduardo Mangada, and Luis Peña Ganchegui. In 1965, he won the National Architecture Prize with the young painter Antonio López for their design of a fountain in the monumental plaza of Pedraza.

Between 1963 and 1975, he devoted himself almost exclusively to the Torreciudad project, which led him to establish his permanent residence in Zaragoza in 1973. He wrote of that work:

“The five years spent on the construction site were an extraordinary experience, both professionally and personally. I tried to make its scale human; I enjoyed making something for the Mother of God, and I tried to put my love into studying the assemblage of those stones and bricks.”

Saint Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, thanked him with a phrase that sums up the essence of his work: “With humble material, from the earth, you have made divine material.”

Torreciudad has been praised by architects of the stature of César Ortiz-Echagüe, Antonio Lamela, Francesc Mitjans, and Fernando Chueca Goitia. His architecture masterfully combines Aragonese folk tradition with a modern flair, utilizing ceramic materials typical of the region and blending harmoniously into the landscape, evoking the surrounding villages.

Although Torreciudad is his most recognized work, Dols left his mark on many other projects: the Colegio Mayor Peñalba, a true brick sculpture; the renovation of the Basilica of Santa Engracia and the Plaza de San Bruno in Zaragoza; the ERZ building in Jaca, currently the regional headquarters; the Boltaña Courts; and the Discalced Carmelite Convent in Huesca.

In 2014, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Fernando el Católico Institution. That same year, Javier Domingo de Miguel published the book “Heliodoro Dols. Tradition, Authenticity, Modernity,” a comprehensive compilation of his life and work.

Heliodoro Dols, PhD in architecture, master of architects, and a leading figure in serene, authentic, and deeply human architecture, may he rest in peace.