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Things to do in Monistrol de Montserrat
The great attraction of Monistrol is its proximity to the mountain of Montserrat. In fact, more than proximity, it can be said that the village is part of the mountain itself. Located in the region of Bagés, whose capital is Manresa, 50 kilometres from Barcelona, it is easily reached here both by car and by the Ferrocarriles de la Generalidad de Cataluña line. From the station the Cremallera de Montserrat connects with the mountain.
Monistrol has more than two thousand inhabitants. Its location and attractiveness make it one of the main excursions in the province. The river Llobregat divides the village in two, with the original village on the right and the new buildings on the other side. In addition to the attractiveness of the Monastery of Montserrat, the landscape and environment of Monistrol is very beautiful, as it is in the heart of the Montserrat Mountain Natural Park.
The historic centre of Monistrol offers a labyrinth of small, narrow streets. There are many places of interest, such as the Gothic bridge over the mid-14th century Llobregat that joins both parts of the village; or the cloister of the Palau Prioral, built in the 14th century, possibly one of the most beautiful examples of civil Gothic architecture in Catalonia; or the Bestorre, a medieval defence tower that presides over the town.
Other buildings that we should know in Monistrol are the Parish Church of San Pedro, erected on top of the old church of the same name that already existed in the 9th century; the porticoed Bo-Bo square, designed as we see it today in the 17th century; the Large Fountain and the Gibert Tree, declared Monumental Tree of Catalonia.
One of the most beautiful spots is the one next to the Hermitage of Santa Cecilia, located next to the road that connects Monistrol with Igualada. More than the hermitage itself, of small dimensions, what impresses us most is to find ourselves at the foot of the mountain. The famous rocky massifs of Montserrat seem as if they were going to fall on us at any moment. The picture is magnificent and shocking.
There are corners of Monistrol that are very striking, especially because the whole village is under the gaze of the magical mountain of Montserrat. Since you are nothing better than taking the famous Cremallera de Montserrat, which connects Monistrol with the mountain. It was inaugurated on 6 October 1892, making it a symbol of the region.
