The incomparable beauty
Let us now discover the monastery Montserrat, perched on a dramatic mountain. A magnificent creation of nature, the mountain of Montserrat is located in the heart of Catalonia, 30 km from Barcelona. I have travelled all over the world and seen breathtaking landscapes, but the beauty of this place is truly incomparable! These enormous rocks, which look like they are carved, open onto the whole valley… They remind us of people, animals, fantastic creatures. The inhabitants call them: the finger of God, the face of the Holy Virgin, the Elephant Head, the Camel… Impressive!
Montserrat is a place of pilgrimage
Montserrat is a place of prayer for pilgrims from all over the world, the spiritual centre of all Catalonia. In the heart of the Benedictine abbey, nestled at an altitude of over seven hundred meters, is the miraculous statue of the “Black Virgin”, known colloquially as the “Moreneta” (the black one), the patron saint of Catalonia. The miraculous statue was found in the 12th century in a cave in the mountain.
The fame of the miraculous power of the Holy Image attracts pilgrims from all over the world. People come to see the Moreneta, as it is affectionately called because of its colour, to ask it to heal a sick person or to grant a wish. A queue of people line up in front of the altar in the throne room to venerate the Virgin Mary of Montserrat. It is said that one must touch the globe, symbol of the universe, that she holds in her hand.
The history of the benedectine abbey
The monastery was founded in 1025, but the history of this mountain as a holy place began long before the first Benedictine monks arrived. As we all know, the location of monasteries is never a matter of chance…
Legend has it that in 880, the face of the Mother of God appeared on the mountain of Montserrat, witnessed by shepherd children. A little later, documented cases of miraculous cures were reported.
In the 15th and 16th centuries, the monastery flourished. A magnificent basilica was built.
A place of culture
The monastery of Montserrat is also a cultural centre. Shortly after the invention of the printing press in the 15th century, a printing press was set up in the monastery, which is one of the oldest in the Iberian Peninsula. Today, the monastery has an important publishing house. Its rich library contains more than 300 000 works, including many ancient manuscripts.
The monastery houses a beautiful museum with works (paintings and sculptures) by Spanish and Catalan artists, as well as a fine collection of French impressionists, Russian futurists, Byzantine and Slavic icons.
The Escolania
The monastery of Montserrat is also a renowned centre for sacred music. It is famous for its boys choir, the Escolania. This boys choir was established in the 13th century and remains one of the most famous choirs in the world. It is also one of the first music schools in Europe. Many conductors, musicians and artists, including the famous tenor Jose Carreras, have studied there. The school currently has 40 students. The choir performs sacred music, including Gregorian chants. Listening to these children sing, one feels transported to the very sources of Life…You can listen to the Escolania during the afternoon and evening mass in the monastery’s basilica.
Montserrat today
Montserrat is one of the largest Benedictine monasteries still in operation. Today the community has 90 brothers. The monastery is home to theologians, philosophers, teachers, researchers, musicologists and all those who run the house and welcome pilgrims.
Pilgrimage, the journey to a place of devotion, exists in all religions. Very often, pilgrimage sites are located in exceptional sites, especially in the mountains, and this is probably not by chance. There are many pilgrim routes and paths that criss-cross the mountain of Montserrat, allowing one to enjoy the spiritual peace and unique natural beauty of the place.
The monastery can be reached by cable car. You can also get there by car (there are roads on the different sides of the mountain). Or you can go on foot, like the pilgrims, taking the many paths that wind up to the monastery and that allow you to get closer to this natural and spiritual place.
The infrastructure is well suited to receiving visitors, and there is even a small hotel on the monastery grounds. You can buy drinks and food in one of the cafés. There is also a very good restaurant serving good food. If you want to go there, it is better to book your table in advance, you will not be disappointed.
With your accredited guide you will avoid queues at the entrance of the museums!