A monastery on a mountain top and the most religious retreat, the Montserrat monastery is the highest point of the Catalan lowlands and is situated in the most popular part of Catalonia. The Benedictine Monastery Santa Maria de Montserrat is located about 45 km northwest of Barcelona, 1236 meters above the valley floor. It’s the most famous place among Catalans, so every year thousands of Catholic pilgrims come from far places to see the Black Madonna.
The Virgin of Montserrat is a Romanesque wooden sculpture of the Virgin Mary from the late 12th century. The Black Virgin is Catalonia’s favorite saint and it is one of the black Madonna’s of Europe located at the rear of the chapel, where the icon is surrounded by a golden altar.
Every day, one of the oldest choirs in Europe, Escolania, performs during religious ceremonies and communal prayers in the Basilica of Montserrat. They sing to a large crowd of pilgrims and visitors all over the world.
The Montserrat Monastery Museum offers a collection of masterpieces from renowned artists such as Monet, Salvador Dali, Picasso, El Greco, and many archeological and liturgical exhibits.
Overview
Admire the magnificent views from the mountaintop on this half-day excursion from Barcelona and visit the Magic Mountain and the Montserrat Museum, which boasts one of the finest collections by world-famous artists such as Monet, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, Caravaggio, and El Greco.
This is a trip that offers an amazing view of the enchanting 1200 meters high mountain with unusual rock formations, where you will visit one of the oldest monasteries in the Catalonia region. Once you are here you must see the Romanesque statue of Black Madonna dating from the late 12th century. The legend says that the Benedictine monks could not move the statue to construct the monastery, so they chose to build around it.
Afterwards you will see the exclusive paintings inside the Montserrat Museum which is one of the most visited national museums in Catalonia, that offers great masterworks by the famous El Greco, Picasso, Caravaggio, and ancient Egyptian artefacts.
This is also a unique chance to hear the performance of one of the oldest choirs in Europe, the boys’ choir Escolania, sometimes accompanied by the Montserrat Chapel Choir, composed of old choirboys and the monks of the Ministry Chapel Choir.
Highlights
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Duration: 4 hours