The Montserrat Monastery

Not very far from civilization, yet utterly wild. Very close to the city, yet in the heart of the mountain. In close proximity to the most prominent urban areas, it is yet placed into a nature park.

Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey, also known as the Monserrat Monastery, is one of the most thrilling pearls in the crown of Catalonia, and we are here to tell you a bit more about it.

Location and getting there

The Montserrat Monastery is located in the Catalonian Monistrol de Montserrat municipality, Spain. It is only about 70 km from the city center of Barcelona or 50 km from the borders of the city. It is an excellent day trip for every visitor to the famous Spanish city.

Montserrat reaches as high as 1,236 meters above the floor of the ravine, and is, therefore, the highest point of the Catalan valley.

The monastery is a prominent tourist destination and can be reached by car or a motorcycle, by train, or by a cable car. The Plaça Espanya train to the abbey departs every hour, starting from around 8:30 AM. The trip takes about an hour and a half.

A brief history of Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey

The Montserrat Monastery is a fully-functional monastery that was initially erected back in the 11th century, then shattered in the Peninsular War, and reconstructed again between the 19th and 20th centuries.

It is one of the most important religious landmarks of Catalonia and played a vital role in not merely the spiritual realm of the region, but also for the expansion of its arts and its traditions in publishing.

What is there to observe in and around the Montserrat Monastery

Once you set foot on the mountain of Monserrat, you can’t afford to miss any of the following:

• The 12th century image of the Virgin of Montserrat – a statue of the Madonna and Child, which represents the most loved patron saint of Catalonia.
• The Museum of the basilica that hosts works of art by many prominent painters such as Salvarod Dalí, El Greco, Claude Monet, and Luca Giordano.
  
  
• The peak of the Montserrat mountain – an epic viewpoint that stands 300 meters above the monastery.
  
  
• The Audiovisual Room,the cozy cafeteria and chill-out area of the monastery.

Visitors can design their own route throughout the area, or book one of the various guided tours that will spare most of the organizational concerns of their endeavor.