Montserrat... The Ascent Into Heaven...

Nothing prepared me for the beauty that is Montserrat, a magical place where art meets history and religion, a cultural crossroads and a sacred location imbibed with an aura of the divine.  Never mind the thousands of tourists lined up to kiss the Black Madonna statue - you kiss the glass container where the almost thousand year old wooden sculpture is preserved.   Montserrat maintains it's air of inspiration and sacredness in spite of the large crowds.

The drive itself takes you to another dimension; it's almost like you are ascending into Heaven.  High up towards the sky, the monoliths piercing through the clouds, revealing the churches and buildings appearing one with the mountain.  It is uplifting and eerie all at the same time.

There are several walking trails cutting through the mountains.  Every 20-30 meters you have a work of art to admire.  It is an incredible outside museum of the highest caliber.   Everyone who is anyone in the art world has at least a piece of work exposed there.   My travel guides did not reveal the amazing array of art present here.  Wow!  It just took my breath away!

One of the trails leads to the top of the mountain where Legend has it that the real Madonna, Mary Mother of Christ, made an apparition during the 12-th century.  The basilica built on the exact spot where the shepherds saw the vision of the divine Madonna,  is small and modest, but it reverberates with the echoes of prayers and a certain energy of life(see the uppermost picture on the right).   There is a large room where people bring offerings for the miracles bestowed upon them by the Madonna, or the miracles they ask for.  It is very emotional to look at the offerings, alongside the pictures and the thousands of letters.   There are crutches there, baby clothes, ultrasound pictures,  soccer balls, even a toupee. 

Montserrat touched and inspired me.  If you have a chance to go and see it, do so!  You will never regret it.  It is only about an hour away from Barcelona. 

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