Montserrat Mountain Range & Monastery Tickets

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See Montserrat Ticket Options

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As you approach Barcelona, you can see the jagged mountain range outside the city called the Montserrat Mountain Range, which is also home to the incredible 'Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey', a Benedictine monastery that was founded in the 10th century and is still to this day home to more than 100 Benedictine monks.

At 1236 meters in height, it overlooks Barcelona and offers incredible views of the Catalonia capital. The mountain range is in the natural park of Montserrat and offers a great day out and an escape from the city.

The Black Madonna

The monastery has a church which has been consecrated as a basilica and is home to the famous 'Black Madonna' sometimes called 'The Virgin of Montserrat' or 'La Moreneta'. Its a wooden sculpture that depicts The Virgin Mary, and attracts pilgrims from all over the world.

The famous statue sits behind a sheet of glass which protects it but one hand from the statue is accessible through a hole in the glass panel and the hand holds a sphere that symbolises the world. Its common for those that visit the statue to touch or kiss the hand.

Important - The Black Madonna is at the top of some stairs that may not be accessible for those with limited mobility, however you can still view the statue from the bottom of the stairs.

The Abbey is also home to the Montserrat Museum which has a collection of art that includes pieces by world renowned artists including Berruguete, El Greco, Caravaggio, Fortuny, Rusiñol, Casas, Nonell, Picasso and Dali. The art dates back to the 13th century, and is a must for art lovers.

The Basilica of Montserrat

The Basilica of Montserrat is an incredible Gothic structure with Renaissance influences and traditional Catalan architectural elements. The basilica suffered damage during Napoleon's war from 1808 to 1814 and needed reconstruction in the late 19th century. The central nave measures an impressive 58 meters in length and 15 meters in width and culminates at a height of 23 meters under the dome.

The church also has numerous intricately designed hanging candles which are emblematic of a distinct Catalan style of jewellery-making that emerged in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War (1811-1812). The candles were donated by Catalan towns and associations and they collectively symbolise the enduring devotion of the people of Catalunya to St. Mary of Montserrat.

Within the central pillars of the nave, you can see the amazing wooden sculptures depicting prophets Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Daniel. The sculptures were crafted by Josep Llimona in 1896, and the masterpieces offer a timeless tribute to the enduring spiritual connection between the people of Catalunya and St. Mary of Montserrat.

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The Chapels of the Basilica

A series of chapels that surround the basilica.

• ‍The Chapel of St. Scholastica: Has sculptures masterfully crafted by Enric Claraso and Agapit Vallmitjana.
• ‍The Chapel of the Most Holy One: Unveils a grand stained glass window, a luminous partition distinguishing it from the nave. It also has Josep Cusachs' poignant depiction of the exodus to Egypt, captured on canvas.
• ‍The Chapel of the Holy Christ: Cradles a profound image of Christ on the cross, a testament to Josep Llimona's artistic prowess.
• ‍The Chapel of the Immaculate Conception: Was inagurated in 1910 and stands as a testament to the architectural finesse of Josep M. Pericas. A manifestation of his admiration for Antoni Gaudí, the chapel is an exampla of Catalan architectural brilliance.

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Montserrat Natural Park

You can also enjoy the Montserrat Natural Park on your visit. Its around 300 meters from the Monastery and the highest peak in the park is called 'St. Jerome' and stands at 1236 meters above sea level. The park offers hiking trails and with incredible views of the surrounding area.

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Railways to Montserrat

There are three railways in total, but they are for different purposes.

The Rack Railway from the base of the mountain to Montserrat Monastery

• The first is the 'Rack Railway' (also known as the "funicular" or "Cremallera") and this is the train that takes you from the town at the base of the mountain (called "Monistrol de Montserrat") to the Montserrat Monastery.

The Cremallera railway has three stops in total:

• Monistrol de Montserrat: This is the station where those that are travelling by train from Barcelona will get on the Cremallera.
• Monistrol Vila: This is the station that most people travelling by coach on day tips get on at.
• Montserrat: This is at the other end of the Cremaallera and where you get off at the Monastery.

The Sant Joan Funicular (or Funicular de Santa Joan)

• The Sant Joan Funicular is one of the two funicular's available at the monastery that go higher up again. People take a ride on the Sant Joan Funicular to enjoy the incredible views from the top or to access the hiking paths up there around the national park. There is also a small museum at the top (called Aula de la Natur) where you can get more information about the natural park. Unfortunately the Sant Joan Funicular isn't suitable for wheelchairs.

The Santa Cova Funicular Railways that take visitors to the Santa Cova Cave.

• You can take a ride on the Santa Cova Funicular to visit the Cave Chapel, which is referred to as the 'Santa Cova' (thus the name of the funicular!). The cave is around a 15-20 minute walk from the funicular station, and its here where legend says the image of the Virgin Mary was seen by shepherds.