I’ve never before been inside of the Consolat de Mar building in Passeig Sagrera, until yesterday, that is. The place is normally not open to the public.

On the occasion of the Día de les Illes Balears 2009, however, the Consolat de Mar was holding two days of Portes Obertes (open doors) for people like you and me. I went, and you should go next time there is an opportunity, if you want to appreciate the history of this building, originating from 1614. There is no doubt that the Consolat de Mar is part of the heritage of Mallorca.

This building was the seat of the Guild of Sea Merchants during the Medieval period, and later became the Royal Consulate of the Sea and the Land. From 1956 to 1975, the building housed Palma’s Museo Marítimo. Since 1983, the seat of the Presidency of the Autonomous Government is situated here. Francesc Antich i Oliver has his office on the first floor.

What we now view as the front of the building in fact used to be the rear façade, backing on to the sea shore. In my photo, you can see the unusual elliptical tower housing the staircase, beautifully designed in 1811 by Isidro González Velázquez, then Municipal architect of the Ajuntament de Palma.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 1st, 2009. The time was 16:20:30.