MONTSERRAT

The mountain and Benedictine monastery of Montserrat, which was founded in 11^th century, is located in a natural park 60 km to the west of Barcelona. The Patron of Catalonia, Saint Mary of Montserrat, is worshipped at the shrine in the Monastery. The Benedictine community, now numbering some eighty monks, has served the shrine for almost a thousand years. They are dedicated to a life of prayer, and culture.

Beside the monks, the Escolanía, the oldest boys choir in the Europe, also live in Montserrat. Visitors can attend the choral concert given by the escolans every day at 13:00h (Sundays, at 12:00) in the basilica, except in July and from 26^th of December to 8^th of January. They can also take part in the conventual mass (11h) and vespers (18.45h).

Apart from this, it is very interesting the visit to the Museum of Montserrat, which comprises, among many artistic objects, an important collection of painters such as Picasso, Dalí, El Greco, Caravaggio, Degas, Monet, Casas or Nonell.

How to get there:

From BARCELONA. Leaving the city by Avinguda Diagonal:

— B-23 dual carriageway and A-2 Barcelona -Lleida motorway (Manresa exit); C-55 road

to Monistrol de Montserrat and BP-1121 to Montserrat.

— B-23 dual carriageway and A-2 Barcelona -Lleida motorway (Montserrat exit); BP-1103

road to Montserrat.Museu Egipci de Barcelona, c/ València, 284. Barcelona

From BARCELONA. Leaving by the Vallvidrera tunnels:

— Vallvidrera tunnels, C-16 motorway(Montserrat exit) C-55 road to Monistrol de

Montserrat and BP-1121 to Montserrat.