The charm of the mountain sanctuary

On 18 February 2016 the Diari de Tarragona, in the section Discovering the Region, made mention of an enclave of one of the Històries de Muntanya Endins, Santa Marina in Pratdip. We leave the article:

The site of the church of Santa Marina, in the midst of nature, transformed into a magical place to enjoy the surroundings. Every summer a pilgrimage that about Pratdip and curious neighbors around Santa Marina is in the way of Vandellos, today a winding road, about 4 km from Pratdip is performed. This chapel is in fact a large sanctuary where year-round springs a water source at its bottom. The set is formed by the same sanctuary and houses around it, where a Catalan restaurant and mountain is included to accommodate visitors.

Santa Marina is the object of devotion for both the inhabitants of Pratdip and the rest of towns of the region. So much so that from the early seventeenth century were organized pilgrimages and meetings on July 18, the day of St. Marina. The entire chapel, included in the Inventory of Architectural Heritage of the Generalitat of Catalonia, consists currently of five buildings that were built during the eighteenth century: the new home of hermits, "the Great House" which housed the stables on the ground floor and the guest upstairs, and the house of the source, that source covered porches three dolls and extended the accommodation.

Historic altarpieces
The first altarpiece on record is that of 1602. This is a Gothic painted with signs of Renaissance altarpiece paths. This was it moved to the Church of Santa Marina de Pratdip (where it is currently held) and replaced in 1730 by a Baroque altarpiece superb with a magnificent carving of Santa Marina, probably taken advantage of the above, which for years would be the jewel of the chapel . This piece was destroyed during the Civil War and until 2002 remained the chapel altarpiece moment was installed there now.

In 1992 they began the rehabilitation work inside the chapel, and one of the tasks carried out was the creation of a new altarpiece. The manager was Carles Arola do. It consists of 7 polychrome and gilded with gold leaf tables where the life of the saint is depicted and is crowned by the Nativity of the Virgin.

Iconography, theme and structure is similar to that of the Renaissance altarpiece, and tables repre Sentan: entering the convent of Santa Marina, false accusation, expulsion, penance, death and glory. And in the predella, the lower part of the altarpiece, scenes from the Passion are represented.

The wall paintings of the chapel, the dome and the doors also decorated Carles Arola. The dressing room are represented major cities where they came the relics of Santa Marina: Alexandria, Venice, Barcelona and Pratdip.

The dome is decorated with a contemporary visual language with its own resonances baroque artist's personal style. Dips in the doors, these vampiric creatures, part of the mythological story of Pratdip are represented.