The Monastery of Lluc

This monastery, also known as the Sanctuary of Santa María de Lluc, is located in the heart of the Tramontana mountain range, about 400 metres above sea level. This is the spiritual centre of the island, as it is considered a sacred place and is the most important pilgrimage centre on Majorca, since the Virgin of Lluc, patron saint of the island, resides inside. In addition to religious matters, if you are going to travel to Majorca, a visit to the monastery is obligatory due to both its majestic architecture and the spectacular nature of the area in which it is located.

The Virgin of Lluc

Legend has it that the image of the Virgin of Lluc appeared to a shepherd and a monk next to the torrent behind the current sacristy. That same day he was transferred to an oratory in the area (San Pedro de Escorca). The next day, when the locals approached to venerate it, the image had disappeared and reappeared next to the torrent. This happened again a couple more times, so the inhabitants of the place decided to set up a small oratory where the virgin continued to appear and thus be able to go to worship. A curiosity: the Virgin of Lluc is popularly known as “La Moreneta”, La Morenita”.

Origin of the Monastery

The first references to a chapel in the area date back to the 13th century. The current monastery is made up of several buildings, including the church (17th century), the British garden (which has a wide variety of plants on the island), a small cemetery and ministries of the Rosary (half a dozen monuments designed by different architects who were advised by Gaudí).

How to get there

The monastery can be reached in many ways. The most comfortable is in a private car (Sealand Villas includes a free rental car in all their holiday homes in Majorca). It can also be reached by public transport or, if you like to exercise, on foot or by bicycle; from Pollensa, a fantastic place to rent a villa in Majorca, there is less than 20km to the monastery.

As a final curiosity. Every year, on the first Saturday in August, there is a multitudinous walk known as the Marcha des Güell a Lluc a peu (“a peu”; means on foot) in which tens of thousands of people travel on pilgrimage, all night long, the 48km from Palma de Majorca to the Monastery.