Santa Cecilia de Montserrat and Sean Scully Art Space
Santa Cecilia is a reconstructed 10th-century Romanesque convent positioned at the back of the Montserrat mountain, offering breathtaking views of the Montserrat peak and the river valley beyond. The site and church are worth seeing on their own and are accessible by truck from Montserrat Monastery. A display beside the entry traces Santa Cecilia's long and varied history (including its 1928 restoration by famed modernist master Puig I Cadafalch). But there's a lot more to it. Sean Scully, a contemporary Irish artist, was granted permission to decorate the entire cathedral with his work, transforming the interior into an "art space." The entire effect is both lovely and peaceful.
History has been banging on the door of the abbey of Santa Cecilia de Montserrat for thousands of years, located above the hills overlooking Barcelona, perched on towering rocks that reach out like enormous fingers pointing to the sky. During the Franco regime, it served as a sanctuary for early pilgrims, a symbol of resistance during Napoleon's invasion, and a guardian of Catalan culture and language.
This little chapel, which is still occupied by the Benedictines, has resurfaced on the map. During a 10-year restoration project, renowned Irish painter Sean Scully transformed the chapel with 22 of his works, ranging from his famous huge abstract paintings to frescoes, stained glass, and metal candlesticks. They plan to hang themselves in the chapel for the rest of their lives, building the church as a unique cultural sanctuary that attracts visitors from all over the world.
When visitors enter the small church, which has been repaired for the first time since the 1920s, they are met by one of Scully's vast gray and black Doric murals. The greatest sculpture, a sequence of 14 panels encased in dark steel, dominates the monastery's last wing. While the 14 plaques obliquely allude to the stations of the cross, this project honors Scully's mother, Ivy, whose works are given. With unique architecture and historical beauty preserved for thousands of years, Santa Cecilia de Montserrat has been on the list of the most beautiful historical sites in Montserrat.
Location: Montserrat Moutains
