Rather than spending the day touring Barcelona, we decided to head off to the mountains for a visit to the Montserrat Monastery. Founded in the 11th century by the Benedictine monks, it has been an important religious site for pilgrims down through the ages. Our bus driver stopped at the base of the mountain so that we could get our first view of the monastery clinging to the cliffside far above our heads. If you look closely at the first picture, you will be able to see it high on the mountainside. Unlike early pilgrims who had to walk up the steep slopes to reach their goal, we were able to drive up on a narrow, winding roadway which was not for the faint of heart! Unfortunately the monastery has become quite commercialized. Our first close up views were of large parking lots, a three story restaurant, gift shops and stalls of people selling cheeses, honey, herbs and baked goods. Once we passed the commercial area however, we were able to imagine that we had taken a step back in time to a period when the monks were able to dedicate themselves to a peaceful life of prayer, work and welcoming pilgrims. Our guide told us that Montserrat is also home to the Escolans – the oldest boys' choir in Europe. We enjoyed strolling past tall dormitories, up narrow stone passageways and across a wide statue-filled courtyard to the church itself. Once inside we were awestruck by the vibrant stained glass windows, graceful archways, beautiful religious paintings and mosaics. In the background we could hear organ music playing as we climbed the narrow winding stone stairway to view the statue of the Black Madonna who was the main object of worship for the pilgrims to this monastery. After visiting a small prayer chapel we made our way back down to the bus, enjoying the panoramic views and interesting rock formations along the way. The monastery is accessible by car, bike, tram, funicular and of course on foot, so if you ever find yourself in Barcelona this side trip is well worth the visit!
No comments:
Post a Comment