Ermita de Sant Joan, Medieval church building on Montserrat massif in Collbató, Spain.
The Ermita de Sant Joan comprises two structures in the upper Tebes area of Montserrat, below the Miranda de Santa Magdalena. The 1899 chapel of Sant Joan stands on a flat terrace away from the rock face, with its own walls, a roof and a small bell tower. Below it are the well-preserved ruins of the original Sant Joan Baptista hermitage, built into a cave, where walls, terraces and cisterns remain.
The original hermitage, dedicated to John the Baptist, was built into a rock shelter and served as the residence of Montserrat's abbots, including Bartomeu Garriga (1559–1562), Benet de Tocco (1556–1559) and Placido Salinas (1590–1592), who restored it in 1591. It was destroyed in 1811 by Napoleonic troops under Marshal Suchet. In 1899 a new chapel was built on a nearby ledge below the original site.
The name Sant Joan refers to John the Baptist, and the original hermitage built into a rock shelter served for years as the residence of Montserrat's abbots, including Bartomeu Garriga, Benet de Tocco and Placido Salinas, who restored it in 1591. The present chapel, raised in 1899 on a ledge below the old site, is reached by the Camí de les Ermites and the Sant Joan funicular.
The hermitage is accessible via marked hiking paths from Collbató, with routes varying in difficulty depending on the starting point and chosen trail. Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and bring plenty of water, as the elevation gain and rocky terrain require adequate preparation.
The original hermitage, Sant Joan Baptista, was built into a rock shelter and served as the residence of Montserrat's abbots, including Bartomeu Garriga (1559-1562), Benet de Tocco (1556-1559) and Placido Salinas, who had it restored in 1591. Marshal Suchet's Napoleonic troops destroyed it in 1811; its walls, terraces and cisterns survive, and a footbridge once linked it to the hermitage of Sant Onofre.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,180 contributors worldwide.