EXCURSIONS IN BARCELONA

In the Middle Ages, the Monastery of Pedralbes was surrounded by a vast wall, of which only two watchtowers and a gate remain today—one on the western side, the other on the eastern. A huge stone can still be seen right in the center of the western gate—in fact, it's just the tip of a huge stone called the Menhir of the Angel. It's the oldest man-made object in Barcelona. According to one legend, if you strike the head of this Menhir, you can hear the voices of the angels within.

More than 7,000 years ago, during the Neolithic era, menhirs were erected at burial sites. They served as a passageway to the other world. The stone also served other functions: it protected against wild animals, thieves, and, above all, death. The stone was indestructible, and souls, after death, entered the stone and became eternal. The phallic shapes of prehistoric stones support this theory, as the phallus was considered a symbol of long life and strength. When the monastery was built, a gate was placed on the site of the menhir so that the ancient stone would protect the entrance.

Menhirs also served as a place for “recharging” – people came to them to replenish their energy and strength.