Mare de Déu de la Consolació (Consolació Hermitage)

This hermitage is perched on a hill of "Llicorella" (Slate) soil on the outskirts of Gratallops. This spot affords fantastic views over the the heart of the Priorat county and Montsant mountain range.

The hermitage can be reached by car along a narrow, stony dirt track to be found on the right hand side of the road leaving Gratallops going towards La Vilella Baixa. The hermitage itself is currently inhabited by a nun and is not open to the public. Please be respectful of this site when you visit it.

It is not known when the hermitage was built, although the apse clearly dates from the Romanesque period which could mean the construction dates from the 12th century. The hermitage has suffered many alterations over the centuries and has also been set on fire on two occasions during the Spanish Civil War. The figure of the Virgin to be found in the hermitage is a reproduction of the original which was badly damaged in 1936. In 1947, the hermitage was repaired and re-opened for religious services.  

Every third Sunday of August, the locals gather together at the hermitage. There is a path leading from the hermitage towards the villages of Torroja del Priorat and La Vilella Alta. The famous old vines of the treasured "L'Ermita" wine can also be found here.