Montserrat Monastery: Tickets

Montserrat Monastery Tickets and Visitor Information

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What is the Montserrat Monastery?

• The Montserrat Monastery is one of Catalonia's most important religious and cultural landmarks.
• A Benedictine monastery, officially known as 'Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey', and was founded in the 10th century and still remains home to Benedictine monks.
• The monastery is famous for the Basilica of Montserrat, the mountain scenery that surrounds it and the Black Madonna statue.
• It is in the Montserrat Natural Park and mountain range, which offers a great day out and an escape from the city.

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Quick Information

• Montserrat is 50km northwest of Barcelona.
• It takes around 1 hour to get there from Barcelona and there are train and bus options available.
• Day trips are available from Barcelona and quite popular.

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Is Montserrat Monastery Worth Visiting?

Yes, the monastery is a popular day trip from Barcelona.

• As well as the monastery with its religious history, you can enjoy the mountain scenery and some amazing views of the surrounding area.
• Montserrat offers a different experience from the city attractions in central Barcelona.

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How Long Do You Need to Visit Montserrat Monastery?

• A quick visit takes around 2-3 hours, not including the journey from Barcelona.
• Visigint the Monastery and Black Madonna takes around 4-5 hours.
• A full day including hiking takes 6-8 hours.
• Guided tours from Barcelona take around 5-7 hours.

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What You See and Do at Montserrat Monastery

You can visit the monastery and the mountain range, where you can enjoy:

• Enjoy the hiking paths and views of the area at the Natural Park
• Visit the monastery, the basilica and see the Black Madonna
• Listen to the famous Esclonia Boys Choir based at the monastery

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About Montserrat Mountain Range and Monastery

The Basilica of Montserrat is a beautiful Gothic church in the Montserrat Mountain Range with a Benedictine monastery attached to it.

It was designed with Renaissance influences and traditional Catalan architectural elements, but it was heavily damaged during the Peninsular War following French attacks on Montserrat in 1811 and 1812, which led to its rebuild during the 19th century.

The church has intricately designed hanging candles which are of a distinct Catalan style of jewellery-making that emerged in the after the Spanish Civil War. The candles were donated by Catalan towns and collectively, they symbolise enduring devotion to St. Mary of Montserrat.

Visitors can also see sculptures that depict prophets Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel. The sculptures were crafted by Josep Llimona in 1896, and offer a tribute to the spiritual connection between the people of Catalonia and St. Mary of Montserrat.

The Black Madonna

The Black Madonna (nicknamed 'La Moreneta') sits behind a glass panel.

Its a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary and child, which dates back to the 12th century and the statue is one of Spain's most important religious artefacts that attracts pilgrims from around the world.

One hand of the statue is accessible through a hole in the glass panel and it holds a sphere symbolising the world. It is common for visitors to touch or kiss the hand.

The statue is at the top of a set of stairs, so it may not be accessible for visitors with limited mobility, however, it can still be viewed from the bottom of the stairs.

The Museum

The Abbey also has a museum with an impressive art collection which includes paintings, archaeological artefacts and other religious treasures. It includes pieces by Salvador Dalí, Pablo Picasso, El Greco and Caravaggio, which attracts visitors in its own right.

The Escolania de Montserrat - The Boys Choir

The Escolania de Montserrat is based at the monastery and records of the choir at the abbey date back to at least the 14th century.

It is one of Europe's oldest boys' choirs and one of the most prestigious musical institutions in the country.

The choir is made up of boys that are typically aged between 9 and 14, who live and study at the monastery and get specialist musical training.

The Escolania is internationally renowned for its performances of sacred music and Catalan choral traditions.

Visitors can often hear the choir perform in the basilica, where they sing hymns including the famous Virolai, which is dedicated to the Virgin of Montserrat.

Hearing the Escolania perform is normally a highlight of people's visit.

The Chapels of the Basilica

• The Chapel of St. Scholastica: Features sculptures by Enric Claraso and Agapit Vallmitjana.
• The Chapel of the Most Holy One: Boasts a grand stained glass window separating it from the nave.
• The Chapel of the Holy Christ: Houses a profound image of Christ on the cross by Josep Llimona.
• The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception: Inaugurated in 1910, this chapel showcases the architectural brilliance of Josep M. Pericas and reflects his admiration for Antoni Gaudí.

Montserrat Natural Park

The Montserrat Natural Park offers hiking trails and amazing views. The park's highest peak is called 'St. Jerome' and is 1236 meters above sea level and on clear days offers amazing views of the region.

Railways to Montserrat

There are three railways servicing Montserrat:

1. The Rack Railway (Cremallera): Which connects Monistrol de Montserrat to the Montserrat Monastery, with stops at Monistrol Vila and Montserrat.
2. The Sant Joan Funicular: Takes visitors higher up the mountain for access to hiking trails. It also has a small museum the 'Aula de la Natur' though it is not wheelchair accessible.
3. The Santa Cova Funicular: The third one is the funicular that ransports visitors to the Santa Cova Cave Chapel, where legend says the Virgin Mary appeared to shepherds. The cave is a 15-20 minute walk from the funicular station.

See Montserrat Ticket Options

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