When you know that there is a treasure in the heights, you see it from below and you want to reach it, you can look for a way to see it and admire it. That's what I did with the Ermita del Monte Calvario.
Some time ago I had visited a forest park, called La Victoria forest park, which is located behind the Sanctuary of La Victoria in the city. At that time I found it fascinating, a place where I could be in contact with nature, isolated from the city, from the hustle and bustle and in contact with the energy of the trees, the sun and the local animals, even though I could not see many of them.
As I walked around the place, I looked everywhere. You know that I love to find new things, to explore, to experiment, and there was a very particular area where a big mountain rose up like a shadow over the rest of the park, of the forest.
An area where, on top of that great mountain that looked like a natural wall, there were also trees. On that occasion, several months ago, among those tall trees I spotted a building, but I wasn't sure what it was. So after my hike that day I started to investigate what it was.
What seemed to be a natural wall like a big mountain, was in reality a mountain called Monte Calvario and the construction was a hermitage that had been built there on the top, by the brotherhood of Calvario, which was constituted around the year 1650. So that hermitage belongs to the 17th century, but I have not found any more information about it, although I have found information about the brotherhood.
What interested me was to explore the area, so I looked on the map to see which paths could lead me to the top, to this treasure to be discovered, at least for me.
I then found two possible entrances, entrances to paths that would lead to the hermitage when I reached the top. One of these entrances is on Obispo González García street and the other on Amargura street.
In my exploration I found that at the first entrance there was a door and it was closed, so I went all around the hill and headed, after a very long walk, towards the second entrance, which by chance I found open, since on two occasions I had passed by the place and it was closed.
The path that I travelled, explored and walked, which I will tell you about on another occasion, led me to find the marvel that I was looking for, which was the Hermitage of Mount Calvary.
After a roundabout way around a bend I came across its façade in the distance and it looked beautiful up there. Normally it is not open to the public and it even looked like the place was abandoned, because nobody was there.
So I walked around and explored the place alone, with the company of the breeze and the birds singing. But I must tell you about an experience that happened to me there. When I reached the bend where I could see the hermitage, I was surrounded by a very strong scent of roses. I looked around and there were no rose bushes nearby, only pines and other trees. It was something very strange and singular, inexplicable.
Being at the top, it gives an amazing sense of peace and I took the opportunity to walk around every corner I could access. There was no one there, just nature, the hermitage and me.
I walked around the place twice, I climbed the stairs of the hermitage, it has railings in front of it, so I took pictures as best I could. According to my research on the internet, this place is mainly open during Holy Week and the masses are very occasional. But on that occasion, although I couldn't see the inside, the outside was just for me.
I also took the opportunity to take the community with me, I love the idea that the sweatshirt accompanies me on my tours and that a part of the community, particularly on this occasion, is in that place and in many others that I will be in the future.
I walked around the back of it, where I could see the path that leads from the other entrance that was closed, but besides the fact that the hermitage is pure beauty and even magical, another amazing thing is the views that you have from that place.
I felt like I had to move trees in order to see the city and other landscapes, but every now and then I was able to find some space to admire such beauty.
The nature surrounding the hermitage is marvellous, as it is winter, the colours are varied and as I always stay in the shaded areas it is quite cold. Firstly because of the altitude, there is more wind, and secondly because of the thickness of the trees. I think you can see in my hair that it was windy.
As it is the top of a hill you can see the city in all directions and I loved that. Behind the hermitage there is a more modern building that belongs to the church and the brotherhood.
I stayed there for a long time, touring the place and trying to capture the views not only of the different angles of the building but also of the city, the nature and even the Mediterranean Sea that can be seen in the distance.
It was a beautiful experience, where I felt the energy of that place, which perhaps I cannot explain in words, and despite the tiredness of the climb and the turns I had to make to get there, when I was there all that vanished, as if I had been renewed by something invisible.
As I said goodbye to the place, I greeted him on behalf of the whole community. I was delighted.
Thank you very much for joining me today, I send you my best regards. See you soon.
Amonet.
All photographs are my own.
Separators created by me in Photoshop.
Used translator Deepl.com free version.
//:# (!worldmappin 36.731348 lat -4.411746 long Discovering the hermitage of Monte Calvario from the 17th century and surroundings 📷 Malaga - Spain d3scr)
