Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
MMonesttir de Mo
ir de Monttserrrratt
The monastery - Spain's second most important pilgrimage centre after Santiago -
was founded in 1025 to commemorate a vision of the Virgin on the mountain, seen by
- you've guessed it - shepherds, after which the Black Virgin icon, allegedly carved by
St Luke and hidden by St Peter in the mountains, was discovered. Wrecked by Napole-
on's troops in 1811, then abandoned as a result of anticlerical legislation in the 1830s,
the monastery was rebuilt; today a community of a few dozen monks lives here. Pil-
grims come from far and wide to venerate the Virgen de Montserrat, affectionately
known asLa Mo
a Morrenetta('the little brown one' or 'the Black Madonna'), a 12th-century
Romanesque dark wooden sculpture of a regal-looking Mary with an elongated nose,
holding the infant Jesus and a globe which pilgrims come to touch; she has been
Catalonia's patron since 1881 and her blessing is particularly sought by newlyweds.
The 16th-century church's facade, with carvings of Christ and the 12 Apostles,
dates from 1901, despite its plateresque style. The stairs to the narrow
Cambril de la
Mare de Déu
( 7-10.30am & 12.15-6.30pm)
, housing La Moreneta, are to the right of the
main basilica entrance; expect queues. The room across the courtyard from the ba-
silica entrance is filled with offbeat ex-voto gifts and thank-you messages to the Virgin
from people crediting her for all manner of happy events. Barcelona FC dedicate vic-
tories to her.
Don''t Mis
t Miss
La Moreneta shrine
Montserrat Boys Choir performing at the basilica
A walk up Montserrat's Sant Jeroni peak
Prracttiicalit
alitiies
7am-8pm
