Holidays to Palma Majorca
Civil Architecture
The great examples of civil architecture such as the Consulado del Mar and the Almudaina Palace give one an idea
of Palma’s history.
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PALAU MARCH
LA LLOTJA
PALAU DE L’ALMUDAINA
CENTRE CULTURAL SA NOSTRA
SES VOLTES
GRAN HOTEL
CASTELL DE BELLVER
CONSULATDO DEL MAR - Maritime Trade Building
PALAU MARCH
Address: Carrer Palau Reial, 8
In the historic centre of Palma, close to the
Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace, one can
visit the Palau March (March Palace). Here there is a gallery
housing sculptures by Rodin, Chillida and Henry
Moore, among others; an 18th century Neapolitan
Nativity Scene; murals By Josep Maria
Sert; a collection of Romanesque and Gothic
Carvings entitled ‘Virgins of Europe’; an exhibition
of Gothic retables and painted panels, ‘Art
of the Cathedrals’.
There is also a room of Mallorquin maps and
the exhibition ‘Alchemy and Eternity’ by Dalí.
INFORMATION:
Monday to Friday: 10.00-17.00
Saturdays:
10.00-14.00
Sundays and public
holidays closed
Admission: 4.50 euro
Tel. (+34) 971 711122.
LA LLOTJA
Address: Plaça de La Llotja
Commissioned by the Merchants’
Guild, and originally designed by Guillem
Sagrera, the building is one of the
main examples of civil Gothic and its
initial purpose was as a place where
commercial transactions could be
carried out. It was finished by Guillem
Vilesclars and Miquel Sagrera.
Work started in 1420 and finished
in 1452. Continuing the tradition
of the Catalan Gothic it comprises
one large area divided by columns
into three sections. The six central
columns have a circular base and
a spiralled shaft. La Llonja was the
model for a number of other buildings
with the same function, notably
that of Valencia. Despite its generally
austere lines, there are Flemish
and Burgundian influences in some
of the ornamental elements.
Opening hours: only exhibitions.
Tuesday to Saturday: 11.00-14.00 & 17.00-21.00
Sundays and public
holidays closed
Admission free
Tel. (+34) 971 711705
PALAU DE L’ALMUDAINA
Address: Carrer del Palau Reial, 20
The main entrance to the Almudaina
Palace leads to the King’s (or Honour)
Courtyard. Here is the Chapel
of Santa Anna, which dates from
the early 14th century and is attributed
to Ponç Descoll. The doorway
to the Gothic chapel is in the
archaic Romanesque tradition, with
a semicircular arch resting on capitals
carved with scenes of fabulous
beasts. In the Palace Oratory, the
Chapel of St. Praxedis with a figure
dated 1458 is of interest, as is the
14th century Tinell or Throne Room,
with its great pointed arches which
support a pointed roof with two sloping
sides, identical to the one in the
Palace of the Kings of Majorca in
Perpignan.
Monday to Friday: 10.00-14.00
& 16.00-18.00
Saturdays and public
holidays: 10.00-14.00
Sundays
closed
Admission: 3.50 euros
CENTRE CULTURAL SA NOSTRA
Address: Carrer de la Concepció, 12
The building houses the Sa Nostra
Cultural Centre, with exhibition and
concert halls where lectures, courses,
seminars, presentation of books
etc. are held. It has a courtyard
typical of the 18th century with segmental
arches and red marble Ionic
columns. The stairway, originally of
two flights, was lengthened in a 19th
century adaptation. The Modernist
appearance of the façade is the
result of reforms carried out by the
architect Jaume Alenyà in 1909.
Tuesday to Friday: 10.30-13.30
& 16.00-18.00
Sunday and public
holidays closed
Admission free
Tel.
(+34) 971 725210
SES VOLTES
Address: Parc de la mar
This old barracks was built between
1774 and 1801 under the direction
of Manuel Santander, Field Marshal
and engineer. The area was the last
bastion to be constructed and with it
the fifth and final walled zone of Palma.
It consists of a central courtyard
surrounded by the city walls, some of
which contain large rooms with barrel
vaulted ceilings, the characteristic
that give its name to this piece of
architecture. (Voltes = vaults). Ses
Voltes has belonged to the Council
since 1985 and at present is a civic
and cultural centre.
Tuesday to Saturday: 10.00-17.45
Sundays and public holidays: 10.00-
13.45
Monday closed
Admission
free
Tel. (+34) 971 728739
GRAN HOTEL
Address: Plaça de Weyler, 3
Headquarters of the ‘La Caixa’ Foundation.
The building was designed
by the Modernist architect Lluís
Domènec Montaner as a hotel, and
was built between 1901 and 1903.
Nonetheless, the decoration shows
oriental and Neogothic influences:
structures that crown the façade
with eagle figures, capitals with floral
designs, polychrome tiles.
Monday to Saturday: 10.00 - 21.00
Sunday and public holidays: 10.00 -
14.00
Admisión free
Tel. (+34)
971 178500
CASTELL DE BELLVER
Address: Carrer Camilo José Cela
This was built by order of King
Jaume II of Majorca. The builder’s
name was Ponç Descoll. It has a
highly original circular ground plan,
with three round towers, in addition
to the main Tower of Homage, which
is both round and outside the main
castle building. The central courtyard
is very large and surrounded by
a double arched gallery, with round
arches on the ground floor and lancet
arches on the second. The Museum
of the History of the City occupies
five rooms on the ground floor.
Monday to Friday: 8.00-19.15
Admission:
1.80 euro
Tel. (+34) 971
730657.
Consulado del Mar - Maritime Trade Building
Address: Paseo Sagrera, 07012 Palma (Majorca)
In this building, maritime trade and its activity were regulated.
It has a beautiful Plateresque gallery on the façade overlooking the sea. This gallery is made up of 5 arches separated by small grooved columns.
Origin: 16th Century.
Tel. +34 971716092