The Monestir de Montserrat is the most important holy place in Catalonia. A monastery has been on the site since the 9th Century but during the War of Independence in 1811 it was destroyed. During the 1840s the monastery was rebuilt and it is now the home of a community of Benedictine monks. The basilica has a Neo-Renaissace facade and inside are paintings by Catalan artists. The Black Virgin behind the altar was carved in the 12th Century.