This statue of one of the three wise men created by world famous architect Antoni Gaudi looks exactly like billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson.
Shocked photographer Zach Culpin could not believe his eyes when he looked at a picture he had taken of Gaudi’s famous Nativity scene at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.
Instead of just seeing the three wise men, the 34-year-old realised the final man in the trio looked just like Virgin Group boss Mr Branson.
This statue of one of the three wise men created by world famous architect Antoni Gaudi looks exactly like the billionaire businessman
Mr Culpin, of Weymouth, Dorset, was on holiday in Barcelona and decided to visit the Sagrada Familia, the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in the world.
The photographer said he was amazed by the incredible architecture, but could not believe his eyes when he noticed one of the statues looked like someone familiar.
Mr Culpin said: ‘I was on holiday and wanted to visit the Sagrada Familia to see the incredible architecture and Antoni Gaudi’s work in person.
‘The church is absolutely breathtaking, it’s incredible seeing so much history in one place.
The Sagrada Familia is the largest unfinished Roman Catholic church in world and home to the Nativity scene
‘When I got to the Nativity scene, that was made while Gaudi was in charge, I was taking some pictures and admiring the incredible sight.
‘But when I looked at the pictures closely on my camera, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
‘As I got to my pictures of the three wise men, the man at the back of the group looked just like Richard Branson. It isn’t just a slight resemblance either.
‘If someone didn’t know the history of the building and how long the statue had been there, they could be forgiven for thinking it was based on Branson.
This statue (circled) of one of the three wise men created by world famous architect Antoni Gaudi looks exactly like Sir Richard Branson
‘I definitely did a double take when I saw it.’
Construction of the Sagrada Familia began in 1882, under architect Francisco Paula de Villar, but he quit a year later handing over the role to Gaudi.
The Catalan modernist architect made the church his life’s work, but when he died in 1926 – aged 73 – he was less than a quarter of the way through the project.
A spokesperson for Sagrada Familia said: ‘Any resemblance of the king’s carved statues with Richard Branson is mere coincidence.’