The sanctuary of Bonany is situated few kilometres from the town of Petra, on the hilltop of Puig Bonany. It has a height of 317 meters. At the top of the hill is the church of the same name. The name “Bonany” in Catalan means „good year“. In 1609, residents of Petra hiked up the hill to pray to the Virgin for rain. Their prayers were heard and it was a “good year”.
The sanctuary of Bonany is the best symbol of the tradition and history of Petra. The chapel was built in the 17th century. In 20 th century it was rebuilt after being destroyed by lightning. The views from the terrace are simply amazing. The sanctuary of Bonany is one of the six monasteries which offer accommodation. There are five double simple rooms with cold shower and toilet to share. The sanctuary of Bonany has no restaurant or bar – just a chapel, a shop has a drinks machine. In the surroundings there are barbecue areas and picnic tables.
Nowadays, the sanctuary is a place where the people of Petra and tourists go to spend their free time in the open air and to celebrate social events and festivals. There are a lot of religious events on Easter Tuesday.
