Visitors enter the Sanctuary through a gate with two pillars and walk an avenue lined with cypress and palm trees.
There are panels of painted tiles (azulejos) on the pillars, bearing the inscriptions:
"Sa trobada de la Mare de Deu" - The discovery of the Virgin - on the left one.
"L'Any 1600 fou per Petra Bon Any" - The year 1600 was a good year for Petra - on the right one.
The Sanctuary of Bonany is located on top of the 317m. hill, Puig of Bonany, 4 km from Petra.
It is also called Hermitage of Bonany, because since 1896 hermits settled there guarding the shrine.
The name Bonany or Bon Any, in Catalan means "Good Year". In 1609 there was a severe drought in the region which threatened crops.
The inhabitants of Petra town went in procession to the top of Puig de Maria, where a small shrine with a statue of Virgin Mary was located at that time.
They were praying and asking Virgin Mary to bring rain, and soon a heavy rain arrived, so the crops were saved and it was a "good year".
Since then, the Puig de Maria started the name Puig de Bonany and the statue of the Virgin is called Our Lady of Good Year (Mare de Deu de Bonany).
On the place of small chapel the population built in gratitude a new, big sanctuary.