Serra de Montserrat Things to Do

The story of the Black Virgin goes back to the Black Virgin being carved by St . Luke in 50 AD. Hidden from the Moors it was rediscovered in 880. Being to heavy to carry it was presumed the Virgin wanted to stay in Montserrat. Within 100 years there were four chapels. Due to the Black Virgin being associated with miracles, it became a sacred pilgrimage. The place was thrashed during the Napoleonic Invasion, but soon rebuilt. It can be quite a line to walk up the narrow stairs to walk next to the BV.

Located in the Monastery high above and behind the alter.

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As Montserrat is declared as saint pilgrimage place, monastery is not the only religic construction here. St. Barbara chapel on the top of St. Jeroni is the one proof that around there is more such chapels constructed in different times.

St. Barbara chapel is quite easy to walk point after getting off funicular. Other, further, routes can take you to some other chapels or just beautiful panorama points.

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I should say a visit to Montserrat is not full without visiting St. Jeroni top. It is the highest summit in Montserrat, 1236 meters above the sea level. There is a funicular running to this part of mountain.

Place allows to see the chain of mountains, the monastery about 600 meters down. The stop of funicular houses a free exposition of mountains’ nature and structure. There are also different tourist routes starting at this point, easy and not steep ones.

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Appearance of monastery in such a high place (about 800 metres up) is associated with a story of Virgin Mary image. Story tells that children got to see a bright light coming from the sky at Montserrat Mountains, later the image of Virgin Mary was founded here. The place was revealed as a sanctuary for pilgrims.

Another story tells, that place on the mountains was not so thankful to build here monastery, but, when image of Virgin Mary was moved down the mountains, it appeared on the same high place again. The first monastery was built here in medieval times, but largely renovated in 19th century, so almost all you could see now is about 200 years old. Monastery houses a religic museum, but the main interest is an old Virgin Mary image.

La Moreneta is the name given to the image of Our Lady which is housed in the Basilica of the Monastery of Montserrat. According to legend, the staue was carved by St. Luke around 50AD and was then brought to Spain where it was hidden from the moors in Santa Cova. According to the legend, the statue was discovered by children in a cave near Santa Cova after they followed a bright light and music coming from the cave.
However the version of the history of La Moreneta favoured by historians says that it was only in the 12th century that the statue of the Madonna and Child was carved.

The Name 'Moreneta' refers to the dark colour of the material used to carve the image of Our Lady.
Every year thousands of pilgrims from all over the world make the journey to Montserrat to see the image of Our Lady and to touch the sphere held in her right hand.

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silica of Montserrat was consecrated in 1592. The beautiful Basilica holds the famous 'La Moreneta', the image of Our Lady of Montserrat, so called because of the black colour of the carving. The Basilica is also home to the world famous Escolania boys choir who can be heard in the Basilica daily at 1pm.
The Basilica was destroyed by Napolean's armies in the 18th century but was later rebuilt to its full splendour and in 1901 a beautifl new facade was added to the Basilica.

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Not only is Montserrat Monastery of significant religious importance but the natural beauty surrounding the monastery is simply breathtaking.

If you enjoy walking there are also some interesting walks through the mountains where you will experience magnificent views of some of the most unusual rock formations in the whole of Catalonia. You can take a funicular to the top of the mountain and from there you can choose a number of different walks, all with amazing views of the Catalonian countryside.

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It hosts the Virgin of Montserrat, and the Publicacions de l'Abadia de Montserrat, a publishing house, the oldest press in the world, still running,[1][2] with the first book published in 1499.
The monastery is Catalonia's most important religious retreat and groups of young people from Barcelona and all over Catalonia make overnight hikes at least once in their lives to watch the sunrise from the heights of Montserrat. "La Moreneta" (the black virgin), is Catalonia's favourite saint, and is located in the sanctuary of the Mare de Deu de Montserrat, next to the Benedictine monastery nestling in the towers and crags of the mountain. Montserrat, whose name means serrated mountain, is 48 kilometers (approx 30 miles) west of Barcelona, and can be reached by road, train/cable car.