Münzer at Montserrat: Sept 26-28, 1494

“Among multiple and varied hills, there is a great and very high mountain that seems to rise to the clouds, and it appears cut and cracked as if it were a saw. We arrived at its foothill, following a long, narrow and sinuous trail, after a long mile, we arrived in the breast of the mountain, were we found the incomparable monastery called Our Lady of Montserrat. The monks are Benedictine It is a very devout place. During day and night, twenty-three mostly gold and silver lamps burn continuously before its high altar. I also counted sixteen enormous wax candles there. Some of them weigh between ten and twelve centenarios, that are augmented every year by people from the surrounding towns, and on festival days, they burn from consecration to communion.
On Saturday morning, after hearing a devotional mass sung accompanied by an organ, we went up a very narrow, projecting trail, with stairs cut into the rock, and various precipices, like a stairway. Ascending this trail with tremendous labor, we arrived at the first hermitage, which has the name of Our Lady of Montserrat. Then, going further up, towards the left side, we came to the second, called the hermitage of the Holy Cross. On the third ascent, also very dangerous, we arrived at the hermitage of the Holy Trinity After the fourth and most dangerous ascent, with a lot of sweat, we were received at the fourth hermitage, which has the name of Holy Savior. But, tired from such a rough and steep climb, we didn't go up to the others.
Twelve hermitages are situated on the mountain, some higher, some lower. They are very nice and constructed beautifully. Each one has its pretty chapel, very well decorated with ornaments, very beautiful gardens: some hermitages have two, some three, according to the terrain around each one; dormitories, dining rooms, kitchens and other dependencies as well as cisterns. I enjoyed it so much, that I completely forgot about my recent efforts and fatigue. Some of the hermitages are dedicated to Saint Jerome, Saint Humphrey, Saint Catherine, Saint Anthony, etc.
After touring the cells, we arrived back at the monastery, by the same path, with great effort and in danger, in two hours, after midday.
After lunch, we entered the sacristy with the prior, a learned man, and looked at the cups and jeweled ornaments, exquisitely worked in gold and silver, which, according to the prior, were worth 800 marks. After that, we saw the ornaments that were very numerous and preciously woven with silk and gold and silver threads. Among other things, we saw a golden chain of four marks that King Fernando was wearing when a crazy man attacked him in Barcelona, and which he donated to the monastery the same year. It was a beautiful chain. I put it around my neck.
After this, leaving the monastery, we looked at the situation of the place, and ascending to a cave where, in the year 853, a certain citizen of Barcelona, Juan Garín, made a very exacting penitence The Virgin Mother of God works the greatest miracles every day. It would take too long to recount them all.
It would be meticulous as well to write about the miraculous fountain. Below the monastery is a castle that has a flowing fountain. Many years ago, a great multitude having gathered here for the feast of the Holy Virgin found themselves without water, because the noble owner refused to give them any, they went up to the monastery and there the water flowed, while that of the noble dried up. Today they call it the Fountain of the Miracle. We drank from it."

What Münzer Saw at Montserrat.

Montserrat is still one of the great landmarks of Catalonia and can be seen from many locations, with its distinctive saw-like shape. We here present a detail, as well as a view from the top--higher than Münzer's own vantage point The Monastery still exists, and so do the ermitas, and of course the miraculous Virgin herself. Giant candles, that last a year, are still burned. So does one of the chalices that Münzer probably saw, it’s now in the Museu de Montserrat. Juan Garín’s cave still exists as well.
As for the fountain, we couldn’t find it.

What Münzer never saw. (May 20, 2011)

The great Benedictine Monastery was completely rebuilt in 1594, and has been restored many times since. It is now a well-organized tourist attraction as well as a monastery, and is visited by scores of tour buses as well as individuals every day, not to mention those who stay at the on-site hotel. Cog railways also bring many visitors (there are regular trains to the mountain’s base from Barcelona.
The hermitages were also altered over time (the very last hermit died in 2003). The ones that Münzer saw are still accessible mainly to avid hikers. Santa Creu was where the last hermit died; while Santa Trinidat is reduced to a wall, part of the chapel and a cistern. The ones we visited were more accessible: a shorter cog-railway takes walkers to a site halfway between The monastery itself and the very summit of the mountain, to which there is a good hiking trail. This takes intrepid hikers to the hermitage of Sant Jeroní (Jerome). A paved trail also leads to the hermitage of Sant Miquel. Both have been restored, and Sant Miquel was totally rebuilt in 1870.
We did not get to Juan Garín’s cave, but among several caves on Montserrat, the most famous is the cave where the Virgin was found. It has its own cog-railway, a walk with stations of he cross by famous Catalan artists and architects, and the cave itself is enclosed within a modern shrine/church.
Most of the church treasures were not viewable—and certainly not King Fernando’s gold chain!

We are adding a nice link about Montserrat's hermits and their lifestyle.