Monistrol de Montserrat is home to one of the most famous Spanish sanctuaries, Montserrat Abbey. It also covers part of the Montserrat massif, which is great for mountain walks.
The Montserrat massif, despite its not very impressive height, is one of the most spectacular mountains in Spain. Its top is covered with fanciful shapes resembling spiers, chimneys and towers. The Benedictine Montserrat Abbey is located on one of the rock ledges at an altitude of approx. 1000 m above sea level.
The monastery was founded in the 10th century, but the statue of Our Lady known as the Black Madonna of Montserrat was worshiped here earlier. According to legend, it was brought here around the middle of the 1st century by St. Peter. During the Muslim invasion, the figurine was hidden and found itself in the grotto. At present, there is the Chapel of Santa Cova de Montserrat.
Today's Montserrat Monastery is relatively new. It was erected in 1874 on the site of the previous one, destroyed by Napoleon's army. In addition to the basilica itself, where the statue of the Madonna is located, you can also visit the Montserrat Museum with works of art by artists such as Pablo Picasso and El Greco.
Due to its location, the sanctuary is not only a pilgrimage center, but also a tourist center. You can get to the top by the Cremallera de Montserrat cog railway. There are also numerous funiculars that allow you to reach the higher terraces, where there are chapels and viewpoints. These include the La Santa Cova Cable Car. Railways and walking routes lead not only to the Santa Cova Chapel, but also to the Mystical Spring of Water of Life, the Sant Benet Chapel or the Mirador dels Apòstols viewpoint.
