Outside of Palma de Mallorca, only a handfull of monasteries or ermitas are still inhabited by monks. The Ermita de Betlém (Bethlehem), not far from Artà, is one of the few remaining ones. The monks living here belong to the order of Sant Pau i Sant Antoni. The ermitaños live of agriculture (olives and sheep), the sale of souvenirs, as well as from donations.

The small monastery was built in 1805, and extended further during the course of the 19th Century. Two hundred years on, a great sense of serenity, peace and tranquility still prevails.

A good number of monasteries in Mallorca nowadays provide accommodation for visitors. Sadly, the Ermita de Betlém does not offer this facility.

The photo was taken near Artà, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: June 24th, 2008. The time was 12:23:45.