Ermita de Santa Anna

Ermita de Santa Anna is a former hermitage in Monistrol de Montserrat, at the foot of the Montserrat massif in Catalonia, one of a string of hermit dwellings scattered across the mountain's slopes.

Where is the Ermita de Santa Anna located?

The hermitage sits within what is known as the Montserrat "Tebaida" — a cluster of hermit cells spread over the mountain's steep flanks, named after the Egyptian desert of Thebes where early Christian anchorites first withdrew from the world. Santa Anna stands beside the Torrent de Santa Maria stream, in an area called Vallmala, and is the closest of all the Montserrat hermitages to the monastery, sitting right at the start of the path leading up from the abbey.

What role did it play in the life of Montserrat's hermits?

For centuries, hermit life on Montserrat revolved around a network of isolated dwellings where monks lived apart, coming together only occasionally. Santa Anna stood out among them: it held the largest chapel of all the hermitages, which is why the entire community gathered there for Mass on Sundays and holy days. In effect, it functioned as the parish church for the whole hermit community. Because of its central position within the network, the superior in charge of all the hermits also resided here.

What did the hermitage complex look like?

Santa Anna's buildings were more extensive than those of the other Montserrat hermitages. Alongside the domed chapel — larger than any other on the mountain — the complex included a reception room for visitors and pilgrims, an oratory for prayer, a bedroom with an alcove for rest, a small room used as a museum, a study with a latrine, a dining room, a kitchen, a water cistern, and a vegetable garden. This layout let the hermitage function almost self-sufficiently, far from any town supply lines. It's worth noting that the current site isn't the original one: the hermitage was moved here from a spot roughly 600 steps away, to make it more convenient for both hermits and the pilgrims visiting Montserrat.

What can visitors see today?

Only ruins remain today, and in a fairly poor state of conservation — the site is heavily overgrown, though the structures haven't been scattered or lost entirely. Among the remains, visitors can make out sections of stone wall, old steps, the outline of the water cistern, and the terraces once used for growing vegetables. This is a stop for those interested in the history of Montserrat's hermit tradition rather than a polished tourist attraction with visitor infrastructure.

How do you get to the Ermita de Santa Anna?

The starting point is Monistrol de Montserrat, the town at the foot of the mountain, from where a cable car (Aeri de Montserrat) and a rack railway (Cremallera de Montserrat) both climb up toward the Montserrat monastery. From the Santa Maria de Montserrat abbey itself, a network of marked trails connects the various hermitages — and since Santa Anna is the closest one to the monastery, it's the natural first stop on the route known as the Camí de les Ermites, the Path of the Hermitages.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Ermita de Santa Anna open to visitors? It's an unstaffed ruin with no fixed opening hours — the site can be viewed, but visitors should take care given the overgrowth and the condition of the remaining walls.

What made Santa Anna different from Montserrat's other hermitages? It had the largest chapel of all the hermitages, served as the parish for the entire hermit community, and was home to the superior who oversaw the other hermits.

How far is it from the Montserrat monastery? Santa Anna is the closest hermitage in the complex to the monastery, positioned right at the beginning of the trail leading up from the abbey.

Why is this area of Montserrat called the "Tebaida"? The name recalls the Egyptian desert of Thebes, where the earliest Christian hermits settled — Montserrat's mountainside hermitages were likened to that tradition of withdrawal and solitude.