The mountain of Montserrat is magical and is a symbol for the Catalans. The origin of rounded forms has undergone all sorts of speculation and legend. These wonderful mountains were created as they are today, about 25 million years ago, through a long process of erosion of the rock. It is believed that this area was under water, through which sediments were created. Vertical cracks up the mountain caused detachment of part of it exposing the curious shapes such as fingers.
About the year 880 was found in a mountain cave of the virgin image that you see in the picture (a black Madonna, the "Moreneta" in Catalan) and the year 945 the monastery was founded Santa Cecilia. About the year 1200 the first documented reference to the Choir of Montserrat, another highly respected institution that gives personality to Montserrat, a school of singing children, in addition to intense human and intellectual features an intense musical education. At this point we should mention that the Virolai is a hymn in honor of the Virgin that over time has become a symbol of spiritual and patriotic Catalans. Today
Montserrat is a massif that rises to over 1,000 meters above the surrounding land, which is an excellent vantage point over Catalonia. Montserrat Monastery is situated at 734 meters, while the highest peak is St. Jerome, to 1,236 meters, accessible by foot without any technical difficulty.
whole mountain is a veritable museum, with numerous shrines, chapels and sculptures. There is also a Monumental Rosary with 15 groups of sculptures leading to the Santa Cova, where they discovered the image of the Virgin. Few people know that one of these groups of sculptures was designed by the modernist architectural genius Antonio Gaudi, creator of the Sagrada Familia, a perfect complement to a visit to Montserrat when you approach Barcelona.
Montserrat is a BIG that has it all: tourism is one of the main destinations of Catalonia with more than 2 million visitors each year: the beauty of the mountain is spectacular, from any point of view. On a sporting level is challenging as you will see an escalation in the profile of Raul Massabe at the end of the article. Finally, at the media, Montserrat has been a point of passage and even final stage in various stages of the Tour of Catalunya and the Catalan Setmana extinct (Volta a Catalunya, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1995 (final stage to win Jalabert), 1996 and 1997, and the Setmana Catalana, 1983.
but has always come to the monastery (or more accurately to the preceding car), which is the altitude that puts our web page. But to level climber is very interesting extension to Sant Joan, the last train line, which rises to 1034 meters, assuming this extension length 2750 meters and 300-average drop 11% - with a harder km between 1400 and 2400 meters with a maximum 16% and 30%. This section is not paved, but grounded, perfectly passable for a road bike.
There are different ways to reach the Monastery of Montserrat. We are interested especially in climbing up the road, of course, are 8.5 km from a medium gradient of 6.9% (see profile), but I must say that the attractions of the mountain causes the road is somewhat dangerous and is full of coaches, especially on holidays. It is particularly interesting that can also be reached by cable car and also a cogwheel railway (opened in 1892, closed in 1957 and reopened in 2003, does not this remind you of the Puy de Dome?). Obviously you can also get up on foot (hiking especially recommended for children) at a distance of not more than 1.50 hours Monistrol de Montserrat.
while Montserrat is a mountain is closely linked to sport. In the road bike must be said that each year at the cyclist's National Day is celebrated Montserratina, rising all cycling clubs Catalan Montserrat in late October, and in which the Abbot (the highest authority of the Monastery) gives a I remember all the clubs present. Mountain bike pedaling dispute Sant Joan Despi - Montserrat, 73 km, and the newly formed The Portals of Montserrat ( http://www.laportals.cat/ ). A foot-level competitions of note is the Cursa Montserrat Nord ( http://www.montserratclimbing.com/ ), with 22 miles of hard running, and the Matagalls Montserrat (http://www .matagallsmontserrat.cat / mm / ), a popular hiking ordeal of 83 km to be covered in less than 24 hours.
forms of the mountain make it also a popular destination for lovers of sport climbing. Needle characteristics are a real challenge for golf lovers.
No wonder Montserrat was the place chosen by the BIG to celebrate 25 years, lifting the bike up ...
0 comments:
Post a Comment