The monastery of Maricel in Canillo is one of the most iconic sights of not only the city but throughout the country. The sanctuary of Meritxell was built in the XVII century and is within close proximity of Encamp.

It is here at the end of the XII century the villagers, going to mass, from the village to the city, found under a Bush of wild rose the statue of the virgin and Child. The statue was moved to the temple in Canillo, but the next day the statue of the virgin was back in the thickets of wild rose. After residents brought the statue in encamp, but she mysteriously disappeared, returning them to their rightful place under the rose Bush. Finding the statue for the third time, the villagers took this as a sign, so I decided to build on the open space around a flowering Bush of briar chapel.

Medicinska the mother of God is the famous statue of the virgin Mary. She is the patron Saint of the whole country. As a result of a strong fire that occurred in September 1972, on the Day Maricelli of the virgin Mary, the chapel was destroyed, and with it located in its walls, the statue of the virgin Mary. In 1976, the monastery was completely restored. The decision to erect a new Church was attended by the local authorities. The author of this project by the famous Catalan architect Ricardo Bofill. In new chapel was installed copy destroyed in 1972, the statue of the virgin Mary.

In addition located in the sanctuary replicas of the statue of the virgin Mary, there are also sculptures of the seven saints who are patrons of the seven districts of Andorra.

Today the monastery of Maricel consists of two churches: the old chapel and the new Church. In the old Church was opened a permanent exhibition entitled "Memory Maricelli the virgin. The exhibition presents the remained after the fire in 1972 the exhibits. Here you can see the temple bell and forged steel bars XVII.

Every year on September 8 in the country celebrated a national holiday established in honor Maricelli the mother of God. And her sanctuary for many centuries is very popular not only among locals but also among foreign pilgrims.