⛰️ Montserrat Monastery
Spain
About This Sacred Site
The Monastery of Montserrat sits at 720 meters elevation among the dramatic serrated peaks of the Montserrat massif northwest of Barcelona. Founded in 1025, it is home to the Virgin of Montserrat, a revered Romanesque Black Madonna statue known affectionately as La Moreneta. The monastery's boys' choir, l'Escolania, is one of the oldest in Europe, performing daily in the basilica. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, spent a vigil of prayer here before beginning his spiritual journey.
Key Facts
- •The Black Madonna statue, La Moreneta, dates to the 12th century
- •The boys' choir, l'Escolania, has been active since the 14th century
- •Ignatius of Loyola hung his sword at the altar here in 1522 before founding the Jesuits
- •The monastery sits at 720 meters among dramatic rock formations
- •Over 150 monks currently live and work at the monastery
Location
Coordinates: 41.5933, 1.8382
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