Montserrat is, without a doubt, a truly spiritual place. Its mountain range, unique due to its peculiar shape and formation, cradles the santuary of the ‘Mare de Déu’ carving and the Benedictine monestery, a place of pilgrimage for people who have come from all over the world to cherish the ‘Moreneta’, the ‘Dark one’, an ancient wood cutting of the Virgin Mary, and have done for almost a thousand years.
Of the services offered here, one can travel up by the Sant Joan rack railway or cable car. Once there, you will find places to stay, to eat and various shops.
Manresa, the heart of Catalonia, is a good place to begin so as to get to know the history of this ancient land, either by visiting the religious seat, ‘La Seu’, which is one of the best examples of Catalan Gothic architecture, discovering medieval sites, such as the Balç Street, Carrer del Balç, or walking along the splendor of the modernist centre, the result of Manresa’s industrial era. Manresa is well-known for Saint Ignatius Loiola who visited the town in 1522, and experimented a deep spiritual transformation here. Modern day Manresa still conserves this inspirational legacy, and the tranquility, but, at the same time is a vibrant commercial centre with great places to enjoy dining and wine tasting. Culture, sport, nature, wine tasting, and spirituality fuse into one single beat, the beat of an inspirational town.
Montserrat
Balç Street
©Genís Saez
Major Square in Manresa
©Genís Saez
Rosette in Seu de Manresa
©Genís Saez
WHAT NOT TO MISS!
The city has a wealth of architectural and artistic sites that are dotted along the Oliba trail.
- The Manresa Seat and the recently opened Oliba exhibition.
- The Saint Ignatius cave.
- The Balç street
- The Sèquia (water channel) Park
- The Old bridge
- The Santuary and Viladordis Virgen Mary
- The wine sellers DO (certified local produce) Pla de Bages
Further information:
www.manresaturisme.cat