Thursday, December 22, 2022

SPAIN ~ Montserrat - Barcelona - Catalonia ~

... Winter scene of a spectacularly beautiful Benedictine monk mountain retreat.. a sacred site nestled in the heart of Catalonia... it offers you some of the most spectacular mountain views and unusual rock formations... the Montserrat mountain and its monastery have always been an important symbol of Catalonia´s history, spiritual beliefs and culture, and is also the home of the religious figure of the Mare de Dé u de Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia... the Benedictine community is still active after many centuries and today the mountain on Montserrat welcomes thousands of Christian pilgrims every year... one of the highlight of your visit to the monastery is to listen to the famous Basilica choir boy performances of Gregorian chants and other genres of religious choral music... one of the oldest in Europe... Thanks a lot Josep&Assumpta!(✿ ♥‿♥)
This incredible mound was formed 45 million years ago. Its name Montserrat means ‘jagged or serrated mountain’ because of the sharp looking peaks of the mountain.

The Benedictine Monastery in Montserrat was founded  in the 11thC by Abbot Oliba, beside the shrine of Santa Maria (9th century). Nothing remains of this small church, although some features of the Romanesque church built in the 12thC can still be seen today.

The current abbey is a Renaissance work dating from the 16thC, whose demolition by Napoleonic troops meant it had to be extensively rebuilt. The façades of both the abbey and the monastery date from the 20thC. The temple was named a basilica in 1881 by Pope Leo XIII.

Stamps:

Fallas Festival, Valencia
(Issued 01-03-2022)

Personalities - Dolors Aleu, 1857-1913
(Issied 30-06-2022)

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