Montserrat, << `mont` suh RAT, >> is a famous Benedictine monastery about 30 miles (48 kilometers) northwest of Barcelona, Spain. It is in a scenic mountainous area, also called Montserrat. The monastery was established about A.D. 1025. Its great treasure is the Black Virgin, a figure of the Virgin Mary said to have been carved by Saint Luke and brought to Spain by Saint Peter about A.D. 30. The small black wooden figure is one of the most sacred images in Spain. It is known as Our Lady of Montserrat, Patron of Catalonia.
The area’s spectacular and rugged peaks, spires, and deep ravines inspired the original Latin name, mons serratus (notched or saw-toothed mountain). The name became monte serrado in Spanish and Montserrat in the Catalan language of the region.
