Stairway to Heaven
The Stairway to Heaven in Montserrat, Spain, is one of Spain's holiest sites, which explains why it's a favorite pilgrimage destination for locals. Josep Maria Subirachs, one of the most famous Spanish sculptors and painters of the time, designed the Stairway to Understanding, also known as Escala de l'Enteniment. His work is outstanding.
Ramon Llull1, a philosopher, mystic, and missionary from the Kingdom of Majorca, inspired Josep Maria to design and build this monument. Llull's opinions are presented in Subirachs' Monument a Ramon Llull, in which he categorizes many artistic subjects. As a result, this memorial is made up of eight rectangular bricks arranged in a spiral to depict seven separate beings and their life hierarchical order.
From the top to the highest rock, each layer of the monument portrays the following creatures: The order is rock, fire, vegetation, beasts, mankind, heaven, angels, and God at the top. The physical world includes rocks, fires, and plants, whereas the mental world includes the last three. We exist in both worlds, and our dual existence makes us both greedy and virtuous. Our selections keep us on the lower end of the scale or move us closer to the top. Nine parallel shapes form a series of steps that unfurl in a fan-like pattern. Only the last one, which represents God, is geometrically perfect, being a cube with polished edges on all sides.
The 13th-century philosopher's memorial stands for more than 40 years and sits on the edge of a picturesque landscape, just a few steps from the convent of Santa Maria de Montserrat. From a distance, this impressive spiral structure appears to be rising hundreds of meters above the valley floor, providing some of the most beautiful forms of inclination. Existence has long gone through the tempering of nature but still retains the lonely beauty among the vast mountains. With these features, Stairway to Heaven deserves to be on the list of the most beautiful historical sites in Montserrat.
Location: The monument is very closely situated to the Abbey of Montserrat, which belongs to the Order of Saint Benedict.
