La Manresa ignaciana

La Manresa
ignaciana
El legado de
san Ignacio de Loyola
del siglo XVI al XXI

La Manresa
ignaciana
Llegenda
Iglesia, capilla, ermita, etc.
Museo
Monumento de interés
Espacio natural
Visita exterior
Sólo visita guiada *
* Información a la Oficina de
Turismo de Manresa (pág. 24)
Se puede fotografiar el interior
Contacto
Accesible para minusválidos
Acceso con transporte público
Entrada de pago
Horarios
Visitas concertadas*

Índice
La monumentalidad de la
fachada de la Cueva, en la
entrada sur de Manresa, es el
telón de presentación de la
influencia de los jesuitas en
la ciudad. Además, la presencia
de obras de autores contemporáneos
demuestra que
san Ignacio fue, y continúa
siendo, fuente de inspiración.
La Manresa ignaciana Pàg. 3
La Manresa que acogió a Ignacio de Loyola en el siglo XVI Pàg. 6
El legado de san Ignacio en Manresa Pàg. 14
Mapa de situación Pàg. 22
Información turística Pàg. 24
Manresa quiere dar a conocer
la presencia de san Ignacio
de Loyola en la ciudad y
mostrar como el posterior establecimiento
de la Compañía
de Jesús, seguidora de
san Ignacio, influyó y sigue
influyendo tanto en la arquitectura
y el paisaje urbano
como en la vida espiritual,
social y también económica
de la ciudad.
Ignacio de Loyola vivió
en Manresa durante once
meses, desde marzo de
1522 hasta febrero de 1523,
pero las experiencias vividas
en la ciudad le ayudaron a
consolidar la transformación
espiritual iniciada en Loyola,
cuando decidió abandonar la
vida militar para dedicarse a
la meditación y a la vida
contemplativa. Según relata
en su autobiografía, Ignacio
tuvo experiencias místicas y
raptos espirituales en Manresa,
que fueron clave en la
redacción de su obra más
influyente: los Ejercicios
Espirituales.
La ciudad del siglo XVI
proporcionó una acogida
cálida y familiar al peregrino,
que llegaba de una
estancia en Montserrat.
Varias familias manresanas
lo acogieron y lo auxiliaron
en las ocasiones en las que
el santo enfermó. San Igna-
3

4
Detall de l’escultura d’alabastre
de Joan Grau a l’interior de la Cova.
cio encontró numerosos
espacios donde llevar a cabo
la práctica religiosa y otros
para gozar de la soledad y el
retiro en la naturaleza, que le
permitieron llegar a la paz
espiritual que buscaba.
Actualmente, se recuerda
la figura del santo tanto
a través el patrimonio arquitectónico,
como a través de
las manifestaciones culturales
de artistas contemporáneos
que se han inspirado
en ella. Respecto al patrimonio,
cabe diferenciar entre
aquél que fue construido en
recuerdo del peregrino y
aquél que formaba parte de
la Manresa medieval que
cautivó a san Ignacio.
Además, la celebración
de las fiestas de
San Ignacio en el mes de
julio, en la calle de Sobrerroca,
es una muestra de
cómo la ciudad mantiene
vivo el recuerdo del peregrino.
Durante estas fiestas, de
carácter popular, se organizan
diferentes actos que conmemoran
la estancia de
Ignacio en la ciudad y dinamizan
la actividad comercial
del núcleo antiguo.
Otro aspecto que
expone la relevancia de san
Ignacio para Manresa, es la
nomenclatura de algunos
de sus elementos urbanísticos.
Una calle, una plaza, un
torrente y un colegio llevan
su nombre, hecho que
demuestra la voluntad de
perpetuar su memoria.
A su vez, la importancia
de san Ignacio ha
hecho que Manresa dé
nombre a varias publicaciones
religiosas (Cardener y
Manresa) y a más de cincuenta
casas de espiritualidad
de todo el mundo. La
figura de San Ignacio da proyección
internacional a Manresa.
La guía que tiene
en sus manos pone de manifiesto
cómo la figura de san
Ignacio aún hoy en día continúa
muy vinculada a la ciudad.
En primer lugar, aparece
la Manresa gótica que conoció
el peregrino durante su
estancia y en segundo lugar,
se presenta cómo se ha
materializado su influencia
desde la época del barroco
hasta la Manresa del siglo
XXI.
Esta guía pretende
ser un instrumento para descubrir
los espacios donde
vivió, las iglesias, las capillas,

las ermitas y las cruces
donde se detuvo a orar y los
espacios de recogimiento y
de reflexión. Además, se
muestran las obras que
transformaron la ciudad después
del paso del peregrino
y cómo la influencia de la
comunidad jesuita contribuyó
a crear la Manresa que
conocemos hoy. La Manresa
que se alza monumental
sobre el rio Cardener, con
unos espacios excepcionales
y únicos donde se puede
recordar la presencia de san
Ignacio.
La información que
contiene esta guía permite
visitar libremente los espacios,
ya sea de manera
separada o creando rutas o
itinerarios que combinen los
lugares más significativos.
Ésta es una guía
no es solo una descripción
de la ruta ignaciana de Manresa
sino un paseo por el
apasionante camino de descubrimiento
que representa.
«Espacos excepcionales
y únicos
donde se puede
recordar la presencia
de san Ignacio»
«La figura de San Ignacio da proyección
internacional a la ciudad»
5

6
The Manresa that welcomed Saint
Igantius de Loyola in the 16 th century
Un dels espais de veneració
d'Ignasi, la creu del Tort.
The Manresa that welcomed
Saint Ignatius de Loyola in
the 16th century
Ignatius Loyola, son of a
noble family, was born in the
small Basque town of Azpeitia
in 1491. After being injured
in the battle in defence
of the city of Pamplona in
1521, the noble gentleman
decided to abandon this
way of life and to journey to
Holy Land in search of the
spirituality. He walked
towards Catalan lands in
order to embark from the
port of Barcelona. However,
before setting sail, he stopped
in the Sanctuary of
Montserrat, where he received
the first spiritual accompaniment
that postponed his
pilgrimage to Jerusalem.
Manresa was the nearest
town to Montserrat from
where he could continue his
spiritual accompaniment.
Nevertheless, Saint Ignatius
remained captivated by this
town and the moment of
splendour that it was experiencing:
at the beginning of
the 14th century, the growth
of the population and of the
number of guilds allowed
Manresa to increase the productivity
and to develop its
commerce. As a result, Manresa
was being recovered of
the 15th century demographic
and economic crisis.
During his stay in Manresa,
Saint Ignatius came
across the amiability of its
inhabitants, its outskirts
natural environment and the
narrow alleys inside its walls.
An urban complex born
during the medieval splendour
epoch, formed by dark,
irregular and badly aired
alleys but full of popular
expressions and religious
beliefs, represented by vaulted
niches, crosses and small
chapels disseminated by the
town; besides of the churches
and the basilica of La
Seu.
In many of these places
Saint Ignatius used to pray
and in some of them he
experienced mysteries and
revelations, as the transcriptions
of that time witnesses
explain. In fact, the Saint
wrote in his autobiography
that it was by the Cardener
riverside where he got the
divine revelation, known as
the Outstanding Illumination
of the Cardener, which inspired
him to write the Spiritual
Exercises. This fact, as it will

e seen further on, has inspired
many contemporary
artists that have wanted to
experience the search of the
essence of the spiritual life.
Saint Ignatius used to live
like a poor pilgrim, admitted
in hospitals or private residences,
eating just a little
and practicing the fast. He
had neglected its aspect to
such an extent that he was
popularly known in Manresa
as the sack man, because he
wore a tunic of very simple
cloth. He used to take care of
the sick and to feed to the
poor, in addition to pilgrimaging
in around the town.
These habits, along with the
mystical episodes that he
experienced, caused him a
deep spiritual transformation
that inspired his Spiritual
Exercises.
At present, you can still
visit great part of the places
where Saint Ignatius
stayed; considered as cultural
heritage of Manresa
town due to their symbolism
and antiquity. In some cases,
these buildings have been
changing as the Society of
Jesus, religious order foun-
«A medieval urban complex born
during a splendorous epoch»
ded by Saint Ignatius, went
acquiring recognition, as is
the case of the Sanctuary of
the Cave. However, other places
have not been preserved.
Some of them were knocked
down during the Spanish civil
war (1936-1939) and others
like the Saint Lucia’s hospital
or the Convent’s church of
Pares Predicadors (Dominican
Friars) have been transformed
through the years.
7

8
Detall de la torre de Sobrerroca.
The Manresa that wecomed Saint
Igantius Loyola in the 16 th centry
1 Cross and Chapel
of Our Lady of
Guidance
The Cross and the Chapel of
Our Lady of Guidance were situated
next to the Pont Vell
(Old Bridge), just next to the
track that leads to Montserrat.
The devotees used to pray to
Our Lady of Guidance before
starting their journey, because
she is the Virgin patroness of
the messengers. It is believed
that at his arrival to this chapel,
Saint Ignatius had an apparition
of the Virgin, who encouraged
him to continue the
penitence. During his stay in
Manresa, the cross was a place
of his devotion
2 The Pont Vell (Old
Bridge)
This is a medieval bridge from
the 12th or 13th centuries that
crosses the Cardener River in
The chapel of the Guia was dismantled
in 1856 and transferred some
meters away, due to the construction
of the railroad from Barcelona
to Saragossa.
its entrance to the city. It was
through this bridge that Saint
Ignatius arrived to Manresa.
During the Spanish civil war,
part from the bridge was knocked
down and it was not reconstructed
until the 1960’s.
3 Saint Lucia’s Hospital
The Saint Lucia’s Hospital
was known as the hospital of
the poor or inferius. It was
the first place where Saint Ignatius
stayed, when he arrived
from Montserrat. The
Saint was fed among the poor
and helped the hospital
mistress to take care of the
sick people, because he was
In the lower part of a pillar from the
Pont Vell (Old Bridge), some engraved
crosses can be seen. According
to the local lore, Saint Ignatius was
the author of these crosses.

putting into practice the vows
of poverty and help to one’s
neighbour (basis of the Jesuit
order).
A local lore tells that Saint
Ignatius, while singing the
evening prayer in the hospital’s
chapel, suffered a spiritual
abduction that left him
motionless on the ground, for
eight days and eight nights. It
seems that it was during this
time when he received the
guidelines for creating the
Society of Jesus.
The Saint Lucia’s Hospital was demolished
during the Spanish civil
war and at present only the Rapte
Chapel recalls this miracle. It conserves
the old Gothic entry and a
sculpture of Saint Ignatius lying,
which was already being venerated
before the Spanish civil war.
4 Carrer i torre de
Sobrerroca
This medieval Street was the
place where many noble and
well-to-do families used to live.
The venerable Miquel
Canyelles lent Saint Ignatius
the ground floor of the 25th
Sobrerroca Street, during
April 1522.
In a corner of the Sobrerroca
Street stands one of
the two towers that used to
flank the old entrance to the
medieval town. This was one
of the eight entrances of the
medieval wall and it was
used as a checkpoint and for
permitting the entrance and
exit from the town.
5
Amigant House
The Amigant were a well-todo
family from which there
exist documents since the
15th century. This family
used to take in ill people and
to look after them in another
house, called “hospitalet” (little
hospital). When Saint Ignatius
got ill, he was twice received
by the Amigant; since
the matriarch of the family
Àngela Seguí, used to attend
the spiritual exercises Saint
Ignatius led.
In 1703 the “hospitalet” became a
Chapel and the place for worship
was rehabilitated, and it started be
called Chapel of Saint Ignatius ill.
Inside the Chapel there is an oil
paint painting showing the Amigant
family caring for the Saint.
Torre de Sobrerroca
The tower has a square base and was
built between the 13th and 14th centuries.
It has recently been restored
and it can be acceded (arranging a
guided visit).
6 Convent of Pares
Predicadors (Dominican
Friars)
This convent was located in the
current Sant Domenec Square,
in the town centre. Saint Ignatius
was received by the Dominican
friars and stayed with
them during some days.
The convent disappeared in 1936,
during the Spanish civil war. The old
buttresses and other parts of the
cloister can still be seen in the current
Conservatori Theater.
9

10
The Misteriosa Llum
The Manresa lore tells that on 21st February
1.345 a beam of light coming
from Montserrat illuminated the church
of El Carme. This miraculous event served
to put an end to the lawsuit between
the Bishop of Vic and the town of
Manresa, due to the construction of the
Sèquia channel.This channel, which was
intended to alleviate the hard drought
that Manresa was suffering at that time,
should trespass some of the Bishop’s
lands. However he was so opposed that
he even excommunicated the town.
After the apparition of the mysterious
light, the bishop permitted the works to
continue and the channel final brought
water to the town. Nowadays, this legendary
episode is celebrated every year,
during the closest weekend to the 21st
February, with a great popular festival
and a medieval fair called Fira de l'Aixada
(Hoe fair).
7 Church of
El Carme
During the 14th century, the
Carmelite fathers built a
church on the highest hill of
the town: the Puig Mercadal.
This Gothic church called el
Carme was one of the favourite
places of Saint Ignatius.
8
Saint Mark’s
Chapel
Saint Ignatius used to pray
into this small 15th century
chapel and there he had a
spiritual vision, according to
some witnesses. The chapel,
which belonged to the tanners’
guild, has a shield of
Manresa carved in the upper
part.
The church of El Carme was destroyed
during the Spanish civil war and
subsequently reconstructed in a Neogothic
style, preserve some fragment
of the neoclassical cloister
that substituted that of Gothic style
(in the current Puigmercadal Square).
During the demolitions was discovered,
under the returns of the cover,
pieces of ceramics decorated
with green and manganese. This
find is the various and most extensive
assembly of this type of medieval
ceramics that has been found in Catalonia,
and is conserved in the Regional
Museum of Manresa.
9
La Coveta
The bed of the river Cardener
is characterized for having
natural rock caverns excavated
by the wind force and the
rain, which were used as
shelters for hermits during
the 16th century. Moreover,
in one of these caverns Saint
Ignatius took shelter in order
to pray and it was there where
he began to write the Spiritual
Exercises.
At the end of the 16th century this
space began to be venerated and
started to have a constant growth.
During more than four centuries this
natural space was transformed and
it became a monumental assembly
of Baroque and modernist ornaments.
(More information on page
20)

10
Basilica of Santa
Maria de la Seu
The Gothic Basilica of Santa
Maria de la Seu, built on the
top of the Puig Cardener, is
the most important church of
the town. It conserves some
parts of the former Romanesque
church, like parts of the
old entry and the cloister. Berenguer
de Montagut, which
directed the construction of
the Basilica also directed the
The Manresa that wecomed
Saint Igantius Loyola in the 16 th centry
construction of the Santa Maria
del Mar, in Barcelona.
Works began in 1328 and
concluded in 1488, 34 years
before Saint Ignatius arrival.
The tower and the west facade
were built after that.The basilica
has a single plant of 30
meters (94.8 feet) height and
18 metres (59.06 feet) wide.
So, it is the second widest cathedral
of Europe after the cathedral
of Girona and one of
the best examples of this artistic
period. Santa Maria de la
Seu was built thanks to the
contributions of the guilds, the
faithful, the Town Council and
also the economic effort of the
inhabitants of Manresa. The
basilica of La Seu became an
example of the Manresa golden
epoch: an economic prosperity
epoch that turned the
town into one of the most important
of Catalonia.
Basilica of Sta. Maria de la Seu
Hours: from Monday to Friday
from 9:30am to 13:30pm and from
16pm to 19:45pm
Weekends and bank holidays from
9:30am to 14pm and from 17pm to
20pm
(+34) 93 872 15 12
under request
La Seu Museum: Sundays from
10am to 14pm (other days booking
in advance) Not accessible with wheelchair.
In the interior, the lateral chapels
were decorated with rich Gothic altarpieces.
At present, the four altarpieces
found in its interior form the
most extensive collection of Gothic
altarpieces conserved in an only
church of Catalonia. These are the altarpiece
of the Holy Spirit (by Pere
Serra in 1394), the altarpiece of
Saint Mark (by Arnau Bassa in the
mid 14th century), the altarpiece of
Saint Nicholas and Saint Michael (by
Jaume Cabrera in the 15th century)
and the altarpiece of the Holy Trinity
(by Antoni Marquès).
11

12
11
Saint Clare’s
Convent
Saint Ignatius used to stop
by this medieval convent, occupied
by a community of
Saint Clare’s nuns, when he
was going to Viladordis. According
to the local lore Saint
Ignatius used to sit at the
Romanesque entrance and
listen to the nuns songs while
he was leading to Viladordis.
During the 17th century, cloistered
Dominican nuns used to run this
convent and at the beginning of the
20th century, the local architect Alexandre
Soler i March designed a
new structure at the west facade, in
Balç Street
The Balç Street is a good
example of the medieval urban
complex, formed by
dark, irregular, narrow and
badly aired alleys, which fo-
llowed the land orography.
The Balç Street is a unique
space, composed by a structure
of arcade galleries,
which connect with different
houses. In its interior old entries,
wine cellars, a well and
some constructions put on
the top can still be found. All
these elements form a dark
and enclosed alley surrounded
by a true medieval atmosphere.
The Tort’s cross
and the Tort’s
countryhouse
The Tort’s cross (Leaning’s
cross) is situated next to the
countryhouse that has the same
name, close to the Royal road
that led to Barcelona
through the village of El Pont de
Vilomara.The 14th 13
century cross
was a point of devotion for St.
Ignatius and a place where he
had some sacred revelations,
according to some witnesses.
a Modernist style. When Saint Ignatius left Manresa, he
12
abandoned his “escudella” (a bowl
made out of olive-tree wood) in this
countryhouse. The family that lived at
the Tort’s house preserved the bowl
until the summer of 2008, when they
donate it to the Jesuits of the Cave.
At present, the Balç Street is under
construction, because it will be an
Interpretation Centre of the medieval
town.
14 The Culla cross
Saint Ignatius stopped to
pray at this cross, which
stands next to La Culla farm,
formerly surrounded by cropland.
At present, the farm is the seat of
the Supervisory Council for the Protected
Designation of Origin “Pla de
Bages”; and it is also used as a learning
field for environmental values.
15
La Salut’s Sanctuary
of Viladordis
The Santa Maria de la Salut’s
sanctuary was one of the churches
outside the walls most visited
by Saint Ignatius. Built in

the 10th century, this church
turned a thousand-year-old in
1983 and some years after, its
bell tower was restored. Some
excavations were carried out in
the 70’s and several burials of
medieval epoch were found
out in front of the church. The
earliest of those burials was
from the 9th century. Some
sarcophagi can be seen at the
sanctuary’s garden.
Saint Ignatius used to pray knelt
down on the Sanctuary’s threshold
stone, which is nowadays preserved
inside the church and has an inscription
that reminds it.
16 Les Marcetes
countryhouse
This medieval countryhouse is
500 meters (546.8 yd.) far
from La Salut’s Sanctuary..The
owners of Les Marcetes were
the attendants of the sanctuary
and, according to the lore,
they used to give charity to
Saint Ignatius. He thanked
them with a piece of his belt
(a cord of hemp), which was
turned into a relic inside a silver
sculpture. It disappeared
during the Civil War.
The Manresa that wecomed
Saint Igantius Loyola in the 16 th centry
Viladordis
During the 16th century, Viladordis
was an independent village formed by
several detached countryhouses and a
Romanesque church surrounded by
cropland and woodland. Nowadays, as
it did at Saint Ignatius’ time, one of
the branches of the Sèquia Channel
still flows through Viladordis.
La Salut’s Sanctuary
From 8am to 20pm
A new rectory house was built next to
the church in 1878. That new threefloor
house covered the facade of the
earlier rectory.
17 Saint Paul’s Chapel
Situated out of Manresa
walls and close to the Cardener
River, Saint Paul’s chapel
was a Cistercian Prior linked
to the Poblet Monastery. The
Prior was the one in charge
of Saint Lucia’s Hospital and
he established a bond with
Saint Ignatius.
In 1700, the Poblet abbot sold this
chapel to the Jesuits of Manresa,
who rebuilt and restored it.
Paisatge de l’entorn rural de Viladordis.
13

14
Saint Ignatius’ legacy in Manresa
La creu en record de Beuys mostra
l’impacte de sant Ignasi en els artistes
contemporanis.
Once he left Manresa, in February
1523, Saint Ignatius
went towards Rome, passed
by Venice, Cyprus, and he finally
arrived at Jerusalem,
where he remained little time.
Next, he returned to Barcelona,
to start studying the Ministry.
He continued his studies
in Alcalá de Henares,
where the Inquisition, in
1526, imprisoned him. Afterward,
he continued studying
in Salamanca and lastly, in
Paris, after suffering another
prosecution in Spain. He was
ordained priest and transferred
to Rome in 1537 and in
1540 the foundation of his
new religious order, the Society
of Jesus, was approved.
The bases of this new
order were written by Saint
Ignatius and, at first, they
were preaching, living in
poverty and doing charity
deeds. Subsequently, teaching
was also added up as
one of the fundamental tasks
of the Society of Jesus.
Saint Ignatius Loyola passed
away in 1556; he was
beatified in 1609 and only
thirteen years after, he was
canonized. This process reveals
the continuous increase
of the faithful and followers,
which began the pilgrimage
to the places in which Saint
Ignatius had been inspired.
So, a lot of pilgrims came to
the town of Manresa.
This proliferation of the
faithful, along with the Town
Council’s will of establishing
Jesuits in Manresa and founding
a school, turned into the
creation of a Jesuit community
in the town. The Manresa
people honoured and mythicized
his memories and
popular devotion to Saint
Ignatius was increased. The
facts and mysteries that
surrounded him were recalled
and enlarged by new ones,
such as the miracle of the
Well of the Hen.
The establishment of the
Society of Jesus in Manresa
marked significantly the
development of the town.
Some buildings were progressively
built which dignified
the natural cave where Saint
Ignatius began to write the
Spiritual Exercises.
Those buildings were delicately
decorated, according to
the artistic styles of every
moment. However, this process
kept subject to the
expulsions and misfortunes
that the Society of Jesus suf-

fered, due to religious and
political reasons. As a result,
works were carried out at a
low pace.
This new architectural
assembly, known as the
Cave, in addition to the
existent basilica of la Seu
and the Pont Vell (Old Bridge)
beautified the monumental
facade of the town
entrance. This facade has
become a symbol of the
21st century Manresa.
Apart from these major
changes, Manresa also faced
an urban development with a
peak on the construction of
various Baroque stately houses.
The well-to-do families,
many of whom had grown rich
with the silk industry that was
exported to Europe and America,
financially supported
these mansion houses. The
influence of Saint Ignatius in
Manresa grew so important
that even at present, 21st
century artists still get inspired
by him and some of them
have created several works to
recall the Saint.
All such works, not only
the modern ones but also
the Baroque ones, are illustrated
in the second part of
this guide. So, we invite you
to discover all the spaces
that have maintained Saint
Ignatius’ 16th century legacy
until our days.
Detall de la façana barroca
de la Cova.
Vitralls del 1909 del taller de H. J. Maumeijean
de Barcelona.
15

16
Saint Ignatius’ legacy in Manresa
18 Montserrat
Montserrat is a unique mountain
in the world not only due
to its geological forms, but also
due to the rich architectural,
sculptural and cultural heritage
that possess. The
Benedictine monastery, which
has been standing on the top
of the mountain from almost
a millennium, witnessed Saint
Ignatius Loyola arrival on the
24th March 1522. It was there
where the Saint exchanged
his clothes with a poor man
and abandoned his sword,
symbolizing the abandonment
of his former military life.
For that reason, Montserrat
recalls Saint Ignatius with a
sculpture located in the atrium
of the basilica. Next to this
sculpture, made by Rafael
Solanic in 1956, there is an
inscription which recalls the
evening that the Saint spent in
front of the Montserrat Mother
of God. A round black marble
slab, situated near the sculpture,
marks the place where
the altar of the ancient Romanesque
church was located.
One of the lateral chapels
of the basilica is also dedicated
to Saint Ignatius Loyola.
It was built in 1893 by Francesc
Rogent and a Neoroma-
nesque triptych composes it.
Besides, exhibited in a showcase,
you can find a facsimile
of the sword that Saint
Ignatius left in the sanctuary.
19
The Manresa Town
Hall and Plaça
Major Square
The current Plaça Major was
built in the 18th century. It
was previously formed by
two small squares: the Ciutat
square and the Especiers
square; both separated by a
block of houses. Taking advantage
of the demolitions of
1713, due to the War of the
Spanish Succession, the
square was expanded to satisfy
the popular tradition of
celebrating festivals in the
street. The current Manresa
Town Hall was also made at
that time, by Joan Garrido. It
has a similar structure to a
great Baroque stately house,
with some Gothic influence
at the arched entrance.

20
The sanctuary of Montserrat
At the sanctuary of Montserrat,
you can visit the Benedictine basilica
and listen to the choir of
the Escolania during the liturgy. It
is also possible to visit the Montserrat
Museum, which contains
important archaeological and
painting collections (Egyptian objects,
Baroque pieces, Modernist
designs…) as well as the new audiovisual
room "Montserrat portes
endins", which shows life in
the interior of the monastery.
Law Courts
The Law Courts were built on
the formerly House of Commons
seat (the old Town
Montserrat Museum
working days and bank holidays
from 10 am to 17:45 pm and from July to September
the 15th from 10 am to 19 pm
Audiovisual Room «Montserrat Portes
Endins»
working days and bank holidays from
9am to 18pm and from July to September the
15th from 9am to 19:45pm
Per a més informació:
(+34) 93 877 77 01
http://www.montserratvisita.com
informacio@larsa-montserrat.com
Hall). The construction began
on the second half of the
17th century with the idea of
replacing the ancient Town
Hall, but finally it became the
Law Courts seat and a jail.
It is believed that the late
Renaissance style and Baroque
facade were inspired on
the Generalitat de Catalunya
Palace, due to the disposition
of the windows and the
central niche. The Town coat
of arms of the entry arch was
made in 1671 by the sculptor
Joan Grau.
21
The well of the
hen
According to a local lore, the
well of Sobrerroca Street experienced
a miraculous episode
in 1602. A mistreated
fourteen-year-old girl was keeping
her stepmother’s hen
while the animal suddenly
ran away and felt into this
well. The hen drowned and
the girl was so frightened of
her stepmother’s reaction
that began to pray to Saint
Ignatius. Finally, the hen came
out of the well alive.
During the 18th century
there was built an adjacent
chapel, which has an altarpiece
that shows this episode.
In addition, believers
continued recalling the miracle
for many years and drinking
the holy water from the
well.
17

18
22 Old Saint
Ignatius’ School
The old Saint Ignatius’ School
was founded on 1625 thanks
to private donations and also
Museu Comarcal de Manresa
Fridays and Saturdays from 10am
to 2pm and 5 to 8pm. Sundays and
public holidays from 10am to 2pm.
Other days under request. Closed: January
1st, Good Friday, May 1st, December
25th and 26th
?????????.
(+34) 93 874 11 55
museu@ajmanresa.org
http://www.museudemanresa.cat
The museum exhibition rooms contain
a very important selection of Baroque
altarpieces painted during the 17th
and the 18th century. Those altarpieces
were designed after the Council of
Trent (1545-1563), which requested
every parish church to renew the liturgical
elements, according to the new
criteria.
This provoked an altarpiece demand
raise and subsequently, an increase
on the number of workshops and the
foundation of the Manresa Baroque
Workshop. Among the most important
names, there were the Grau, Sunyer
and Padró families.
to Town Council, which transferred
Saint Lucia’s Hospital
to the Jesuits. So, this building
then became the second
School run by Jesuits in
Catalonia, just after the Betlem
School in Barcelona.
The school was enlarged
in 1750 and was renewed in
19th century, with a central
squared patio with a cloister,
connects to every wing of the
building. The Society of Jesus
directed the school until
1892. Since then, the Town
Hall has been in charge of it.
In 1901 the building became
the School of Arts and
Crafts seat and along the 20th
century, the building has been
used as military barracks,
laboratory and library.
The Historical Archive and
the Museu Comarcal de
Manresa were installed the in
the first and second floors, in
1941. Later, in 2002, the
ground floor became the seat
of the Manresa Tourist Office.
23
Baroque stately
houses
Manresa conserves several
Baroque stately houses built
by the well-to-do families during
the 18th century.Their owners
used to be people, which
had become filthy rich thanks
to the manufactures and the
incomes of the land renting.
These stately houses can be
easily identified by their large
entrances for the cavalries,
their great central patio with a
staircase leading to the first
floor and to the other two floors,
as well as their symmetrically
distributed windows and
balconies in the poorly decorated
facade. However their interiors
usually were finely decorated
with moldings and
Baroque paintings.
24
The Beuys cross
The German artist Joseph
Beuys is an example of the
inspiring capacity of Saint Ignatius
legacy. Joseph Beuys visited
the Cave in 1966 and
Saint Ignatius became a model
for his creations. As a result,
once in Düsseldorf, he
performed the action Manresa,
which symbolized his

The Baroque stately houses
Ca l’Asols: This stately house was built in
1789 and restored in 2007. It still presents
the ornaments of the main façade.
Ca l’Oller: It is situated at the Plana de
l’Om Square and it has a central patio
covered with a dome with a lattice,
which were also restored in 2007.
Casa Suanya: This mansion house was
constructed in 1774 and recently restored.
It has an enlarged first floor.
Casa Torres Argullol: In the inscription
over its main balcony it can be read
that it was built in 1773. Its interior
was decorated with mural painting during
the 20th century.
Casa dels escultors Grau: This stately
house was probably the Grau family
home, as well as their important Baroque
sculpture workshop. Nowadays it
is the seat of the Plana de l’Om exhibition
room an auditorium, promoted
by the Caixa de Manresa Foundation.
mystical contact with Saint Ignatius
after having visited
Manresa.As a reminder of this
action, the Caixa Manresa
Foundation promoted the exhibition
Manresa Hbf in 1994.
This exhibition was complemented
by the official placement
of the Beuys Cross, made
25
by the Danish artists H.
Christiansen and B. Norgäard.
Saint Ignatius’ legacy in Manresa
Light well
The Chilean artist Fernando
Prats continued the artistic experience
initiated by Beuys
with the project From the Cardener
to the Antarctica (2001-
2004). Prats sought to transport
the essence the
spirituality from the Cardener
River (where Saint Ignatius experienced
the Outstanding
Illumination) to the Antarctica.
Thus, he wrapped the interior
of the Cave with paper and tape
to capture the scent of the
Saint. Subsequently, he transported
the wrapping to the Antarctica
and he buried it under
the ice. At the same time, a
15-meter (49.21 feet) deep
well was excavated on at a
bank of the Cardener River.
The well represented the will to
arrive at the origin of every inspiration.
As a memorial of that
performance, there is a spiral
shaped monument with an
Fotografia de Rocco Ricci
inscription 26 of 117 celebrity names
of different times. All these
celebrities have gone
through mystical experiences
at some point of their life.
La Cova
The architectural assembly of
the Cave is a unique example
of the combination of Jesuitical
architecture and Catalan
Baroque art. Complementing
this artistic high value, the assembly
has a great symbolic
load for the Jesuits, since the
Cave is the place of conception
of their founder ideas.
This place was venerated
and considered a sacred
space for the Saint’s devotes,
since the 16th century. Earlier,
a cross and a doorway
were placed in the cave and
afterwards, in 1603, a small
chapel was built. Little by little,
the number of visitors
was enlarging and during
more than four centuries they
went dignifying the space,
constructing new buildings.
The Exercises House is the
place where pilgrims from all
over the world stay. They rest
there, meditate and practice
the Spiritual Exercises. Besides,
it is the permanent
19

20
La Cova de sant Ignasi
Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to
13pm Evenings from March to October
from 16pm to 19pm and from November
to February from 15pm to 18pm. Sundays
and precept from 10am to midday.
La coveta (The Cave)
The cave is the most important space for Jesuits.
It is decorated with 17th and 18th century works.
In the centre there is an altarpiece with an alabaster
relief, made by Joan Grau, which shows Saint
Ignatius writing the Spiritual Exercises in Manresa.
This finely decoration is accompanied by eight alabaster
medallion, made by Josep Sunyer in 1720,
which show episodes of Saint Ignatius’ life.
Baroque facade of the Exercises House
This facade shows a clear example of Baroque
style’s sense of the theatre. It was conceived as a
wrapper of an empty space, in which subsequently
they were built the church and the Cave’s Hall. It is
structured in three levels: a simple basement, a
central body jointed with ionic pillars, framed windows
and a semi roof with zoomorphic and vegetable
figures, plus an upper body with elliptic portholes
and angels playing. Built during the 17th
century, it is uncertain that its authors were Joan
Grau and Francesc Grau, or else Josep Sunyer.
Under request
(+34) 93 875 15 79
covaee@covamenresa.cat
www.covamanresa.cat
Exercises house

Avantcova (Cave’s Hall)
Until the 18th century this was a space dedicated to the worship, but the construction
of the church consigned it to be the access to the Cave.The painter and
Jesuit Martín Coronas, who managed the modernist style, with a certain eclecticism
and horror vacui, since every single piece of the floor, walls or ceiling is decorated,
ornamented it between 1915 and 1922. This ornamentation has a
communicative purpose because it is the space that prepares the visitor to enter
the most spiritual place of the building.This idea is also given by the iconography
of the walls: The stained-glass large windows, the mosaics arranged like windows
and the six medallions situated between each large window, which explain life
episodes of Saint Ignatius. In addition, there are mosaics on the floor, which show
the Saint’s coat of arms and the weapons he used to carry when he was a soldier.
Saint Ignatius’ legacy in Manresa
Interior
The church, which was built between
1750 and 1763, is the final component
of the sanctuary and the conclusion of
an old desire of transforming the cave
into an internationally known sanctuary.
The church has a single plant and lateral
chapels connected by an upper platform
with a lattice. It was not decorated until
mid 19th century, due to the expulsions
that the Jesuits suffered.
At the lateral chapels there are carved
sculptures of saints, which belonged to
the Society of Jesus. The image of the
Immaculate Conception Madonna dominates
the high altar, while the Most Holy
Trinity is situated on top of her, and statues
of Saint Ignatius and Saint Francis
Xavier can be found at each side.
Church facade
This facade is an outstanding example of Jesuit
architecture and Catalan Baroque. Its
sculptures suggest movement that and the
decoration is arranged like in a Baroque altarpiece.
At the central part, there is niche
framed by Corinthian columns, which contains
a sculpture of Saint Ignatius holding a
quill and the Spiritual Exercises book. The
oval rose window situated over the Saint
symbolizes represents the divine illumination.
21

22
D
CARRER D’URGELL
C
6
CARRER VILANOVA
CARRER ÀNGEL GUIMERÀ
CARRER BORN
E
PLANA
DE L’OM
CARRER TALAMANCA
SANT JOAN BAPTISTE DE LA SALLE
MURALLA DEL CARME
CARRER NOU
B
CARRER ALFONS XII
PASSEIG DEL RIU
SANT MIQUEL
CARRER DE LES PIQUES
CARRER BOTÍ
ST. PERE
NA BASTARDES
PONT DE LA REFORMA
CARRETERA DE VIC
CARRER INFANTS
SABATERIA
BDA. CARME
BDA. JUEUS
PLAÇA
MAJOR
CARRER V ALLFONOLLOSA
BAIXADA
DE LA SEU
XIPRER
PLAÇA
CARME
CARRER PUIGTERRÀ DE D
DAMA
CARRER SERAROLS
BISBE CARRER SANTA LLÚCIA
CARRER LLUSSÀ
CARRER SANT SALVADOR
CARRER
SOBRERROCA
SANT ANDREU
PASSEIG DEL RIU
Ruta
gnasiana
Manresa Tourist Office Car Park Taxi Train station Hospital
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5
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10
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A
BAIXADA
DELS DRETS
VIA ST. IGNASI
A
PLAÇA
HOSPITAL
3
PLAÇA
ST. IGNASI
CARRER HOSPITAL
CARRER ESCODINES
CARRER SANT MARC
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CARRER SANT BARTOMEU
CAMÍ DE LA COVA
8
2
VIDAL BARRAQUER
CARRER
DE LA COVA
1
VIA DE ST. IGNA
CARRETERA DE MANRESA A B
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SI
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ARCELONA
PARC DE ST. IGNASI
PISCINES MUNICIPALS
PTGE. COVA
CARRER CAPUTXINS
CARRER NOU DE SANTA CLARA
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Map
Cross and Chapel of the
Guia Mother of God’s
Pont Vell (Old Bridge)
Saint Lucia’s Hospital and
Rapte chapel
Sobrerroca Street
Amigant House
Convent of Els Pares
Predicadors
Church of El Carme
Saint Mark’s Chapel
La Coveta (The Cave)
Basilica of la Seu
Saint Clare’s Convent
Balç Street
Tort’s cross and Tort’s
countryhouse
Helpful phone numbers
Renfe (+34) 902 240 202
Ferrocarrils Catalans (+34) 93 877 06 06
Bus Station (+34) 902 02 60 28
Ràdio Taxi Manresa (+34) 93 874 40 00
Del Carme Youth Hostel (+34) 93 875 03 96
Museu Comarcal de Manresa (+34) 93 874 11 55
Museu de la Tècnica de Man. (+34) 93 877 22 31
Basílica de la Seu (+34) 93 872 15 12
Santuari de la Cova (+34) 93 875 15 79
Ajuntament de Manresa (+34) 93 878 23 01
25
11
14 The Culla’s cross
15 La Salut’s sanctuary and Viladordis
16 Les Marcetes countryhouse
17 Saint Paul’s Chapel
18 Montserrat
19 Plaça Major Square and
Manresa City Council
20 Law Courts
21 The well of the hen
22 Saint Ignatius’ Old School
23 Baroque stately houses
A Ca l’Asols B Ca l’Oller C Casa Suanya
D Casa Torres Argullol E Casa dels escultors Grau
24 Beuys cross
25 Light well
26 The Cave assembly
Hospital de Sant Joan de Déu
14
23

www.manresaturisme.cat
Cova
Sant Ignasi
Manreas Tourist Office
Office hours
Monday to Friday from 9am to 14pm
Saturdays from 10am to 14pm and from
17pm to 20pm. Sundays and bank holidays
from 10am to 14pm. From 1st July to
15th September: It is also open form Tuesday
to Friday from 17pm to 20pm
(+34) 93 878 40 90
Guided visits
A part from the signalized paths, which can
be followed without any guide, the Manresa
Tourist Office also offers to visitors a wide
range of guided tours, which should be booked
in a from Monday to Sunday under request.
At present, the following visits can be done:
- Discover the Manresa of Saint Ignatius at
the 21st century
- Medieval Manresa
- The Baroque Splendour
- The Modernist Manresa
- Discovering Manresa
- The Monumental Manresa
- Tour at your wish
Adreça
Manresa Tourist Office
Via de Sant Ignasi, 40, baixos
08241 Manresa
For further information visit:
www.manresaturisme.cat
Disseny gràfic i producció: Asterisc Comunicació Gràfica (www.asterisc.cat)