Located on the Balearic island, the most popular small towns in Majorca offer an intricate understanding of medieval history, as reflected by some of the magnificent landmarks below.
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Torre Picada
Founded in the 17th Century, the Torre Picada was built for defence against pirates in Majorca. Located in the Municipality of Soller, one of its best features is the position of the main entrance door. It was raised several meters above ground level to prevent close-range attacks.
Although the tower is now private property, you can view it from the seaside town of port de Soller, which is a walking distance.
Cathedral de Mallorca
Popularly known as La Seu, Cathedral de Mallorca is located in the old city of Palma. Its construction detailing gothic style was started by King Aragon I in the 13th Century and finished in the 17th Century.
Some of its spectacular features are the 61 stained-glass windows, particularly the central rose window, the narrow beams supporting the roof, and the massive crown of thorns, hanging over the altar.
Hermitage of Bethlehem
Located on the Eastern ridge of Majorca, this 200-year landmark was used as a monastery for monks of the Ermitanos de San Pablo San Antonio order.
It was founded in 1805 and is famous for its chapel, which houses treasures like the statue of Christ, which was given to monks for its consecration.
Bellver castle
Built in the 14th Century for King James II of Majorca, the castle is among the few circular castles in Europe. Besides having a gothic architectural style, it doubled as a prison during World War II, Franco’s dictator reign, and a military prison through the 18th to 20th Century.
The castle has three defense towers and a two-tiered central courtyard with Catalan Romanesque and gothic arches. It has a museum that houses artifacts from the Roman, Arab and Spanish periods.
Cathedral de Mallorca.
The royal palace of La Almudaina
The royal palace of La Almudaina is a breathtaking landmark located in Palma. The former Muslim fortress dates to the 10th Century and plays the official residence of the Spanish royal family during their stay in Mallorca.
The palace was rebuilt in a gothic style in the 14th Century after the Catalan conquest. Some of the outstanding features of the monument include the chapel of Saint Anna inside and outside the S’Hort del Rei arch.
Drach Caves
Caves of Drach are four integrated caves namely, the Black Cave, the White Cave, the Cave of Luis Salvador, and the Cave of the French. It is located in the municipality of Manacor and is one of the largest caves in Europe.
Although first mentioned in letters dating in the 14th century, the full exploration of the caves happened in the 19th Century by E.A Martel. The often warm cave has magnificent stalactites and stalagmites and is illuminated by lights throughout, adding to its beauty.
You can tell the depth of the lake by the variation of colors. White indicates a depth of one metre, green three metres and blue approximately eight metres.
Cartoixa de Validemosa
Cartoixa de Validemosa is a palace located in the town of Validemosa. It was built in the 14th Century by King James II of Majorca for his son Sancho.
After the integration of Majorca with the Kingdom of Aragon in the 14th Century, the palace largely went unused and was given to the Monks who founded the Caturja.
Puig de Pollensa
It is a religious landmark built in the 14th Century to plead with the Virgin Mary for protection against the deadly Black death epidemic.
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