Montserrat (mountain)

The Museum of Montserrat showcases a selection of the most outstanding artistic and archaeological heritage at the thousand-year-old Abbey of Montserrat. The museum contains six very different collections. More than 1300 pieces are exhibited in the museum, embracing a vast chronological period.

Santa María de Montserrat (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈsantə məˈɾi.ə ðə munsəˈrat]) is an abbey of the Order of Saint Benedict located on the mountain of Montserrat in Monistrol de Montserrat, Barcelona, Spain. It is notable for enshrining the image of the Virgin of Montserrat. The monastery was founded in the 11th century and rebuilt between the 19th and 20th centuries, and still functions to this day, with over 70 monks. There have always been roughly 80 monks in residence.

The Santa Cova Funicular (Catalan: Funicular de la Santa Cova; Spanish: Funicular de La Santa Cova) is a funicular railway at Montserrat, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line descends from the monastery, and the upper terminus of the Montserrat Rack Railway, on a continuous curve to a lower station that gives access, via a path, to Santa Cova, a shrine lower down the mountain.The funicular has the following technical parameters: Length: 262 m (860 ft) Height: 118 m (387 ft) Maximum steepness: 56.5 % Cars: 2 Capacity: 90 passengers per car Configuration: Single track with passing loop Travel time: 2.5 minutes Track gauge: 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge Traction: ElectricalAlthough the line operates two cars, in normal service only one carries passengers, whilst the other simply acts as a counterweight.The line is operated by the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (Catalan Government Railways, FGC), who also operate the Montserrat Rack Railway and the Funicular de Sant Joan funicular railway on Montserrat Mountain, together with two other funicular railways and a significant suburban railway system in and around Barcelona.The line originally opened in 1929 and was passed to the FGC in 1986. It was renovated in 1991 with the retention of its original stepped and wooden bodied cars. Unfortunately one of these was damaged by floods in 2000, as was the lower station. When the line reopened in 2001, new panoramic cars, similar to those already in use on the nearby Funicular de Sant Joan, were provided.

The Sant Joan Funicular (Catalan: Funicular de Sant Joan; Spanish: Funicular de San Juan) is a funicular railway at Montserrat, near Barcelona in Catalonia, Spain. The line connects the monastery, and the upper terminus of the Montserrat Rack Railway, with sacred sites, walking trails and viewpoints higher up the mountain. With a maximum gradient of 65 %, it is the steepest funicular in Spain.

The Santa Cova de Montserrat (in Catalan; English: Holy Cave of Montserrat) is the hillside cave on Montserrat where the Virgin of Montserrat was traditionally hidden during the Moorish invasions and later discovered by shepherds in 880. Its discovery made Montserrat into a pilgrimage destination, and led to the founding of the Santa Maria de Montserrat Abbey. The sanctuary of the Santa Cova is accessed by a path, called the Camí de la Santa Cova, carved along the ridge of the mountain. It was built between 1691 and 1704, thanks to the patronage of Gertrudis de Camporrell, marquess of Tamarit. Between 1896 and 1916, a series of sculptures were placed along the camí, dedicated to the rosary and the 15 mysteries of the Virgin, including works by Antoni Gaudí, Josep Puig i Cadafalch and other modernista artists.

The Aeri de Montserrat (Catalan pronunciation: [əˈɛɾi ðə munsəˈrat]) is an aerial cable car which provides one of the means of access to the Montserrat mountain and abbey. It can be found 1 hour from the city of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Travelers using the cable car should take note of its operating hours to avoid being stranded on the mountain, as it is operated by a separate company than the rack railroad and funiculars, and is not coordinated with them. The line runs from the monastery to the station of Montserrat-Aeri, on the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC) line from Barcelona-Plaça d'Espanya station to Manresa. The FGC operates the Montserrat Rack Railway, which provides an alternative access to the mountain and abbey, and two funicular railways on the mountain, the Funicular de Sant Joan and the Funicular de Santa Cova.

The Montserrat Rack Railway (Spanish and Catalan: Cremallera de Montserrat, IPA: [kɾəməˈʎeɾə ðə munsəˈrat]) is a mountain railway line north-west of Barcelona in Catalonia. The line runs from Monistrol de Montserrat to the mountain-top monastery of Montserrat.The line is 5 km (3.1 mi) long and has a rail gauge of 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in). The first 1 km (0.6 mi) of the line, between Monistrol and the only intermediate station at Monistrol Vila, is operated by conventional adhesion. The remainder of the line is operated as a rack railway using the Abt system, overcoming a height difference of 550 m (1,804 ft) with a maximum gradient of 15.6%. The line is electrified with an overhead supply at 1500 V DC.The line is operated by the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya (FGC).

Monistrol de Montserrat (Catalan pronunciation: [munisˈtɾɔl də munsəˈrat]) is a municipality in the comarca of the Bages in Catalonia, Spain. The municipality includes the southern two-thirds of the massif of Montserrat and the famous Benedictine monastery of the same name. The town, known as Montserrat-Vila, is situated on the eastern flank of the massif above the valley of the Llobregat river: it is connected with the monastery (higher up) and with the railway station in the valley (FGC line R5) by the Montserrat Rack Railway (Cremallera de Montserrat). The C-1411 road links the town with Martorell and Manresa. The bridge over the Llobregat river dates from the fourteenth century. The municipality includes a small exclave to the north-west.

Collbató (Catalan pronunciation: [ˌkɔʎβəˈto]) is a municipality in the comarca of the Baix Llobregat in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated on the southern slopes of Montserrat. The area has been inhabited since at least 4000 BC, as shown by Neolithic remains found in caves above the village (on display at the museum at the monastery of Montserrat). Although agriculture (olives, grapes and almonds) is the major economic activity, the village is also home to a workshop for the manufacture of organs.

Santa Cecília de Montserrat is a Benedictine monastery in Marganell, Catalonia, Spain.

Sant Jeroni (el Bruc) is a mountain of Catalonia, Spain. It has an elevation of 1,236 metres above sea level.

Castellbell i el Vilar (Castellbell y Vilar in Spanish) is a municipality in the comarca of the Bages in Catalonia, Spain. It is situated at the point where the Llobregat river crosses the Prelittoral Range. The railway station serves both the FGC line R5 between Barcelona and Manresa and the Renfe line between Barcelona and Zaragoza. The C-1411 road links the municipality with Martorell and Manresa. Castellbell i el Vilar is known for its cotton industry, although agriculture is at least as important to the local economy. Castellbell castle (gothic, fourteenth century) was one of the two main points (along with Claramunt castle) controlling access to the lower Llobregat valley, and hence to Barcelona. The bridge over the Llobregat also dates from the fourteenth century.