Around 1255, Ramon Llull tutored the young prince Jaume II de Aragon and later served him as his seneschal (major-domo). After the prince became King of Mallorca in 1276, Llull proposed to him the setting up of a missionary school at Miramar, dedicated to the teaching of Arabic and other oriental languages, for the purpose of converting the local Moors to Christianity. Llull spent three years in Miramar, where he taught 12 friars and wrote some of his major books. Some people consider Miramar as something like Mallorca’s first university. 200 years later, Mallorca’s first printing press was set up there, and Mallorca’s first printed books were published at Miramar in 1457.

The Monestir de Miramar is situated halfway between Valldemossa and Deià. The Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria bought this historic property in 1872 after falling in love with the scenery of Mallorca’s Northwest. According to the Arxiduc, “no other place on earth deserves with more reason the name of Miramar” (translated from ‘Die Balearen‘).

Today, Miramar is open to the public as a museum dedicated to both, Ramon Llull and the Austrian Archduke. Some Gothic cloister arches which are said to originate from the Convent de Santa Margalida in Palma de Mallorca (see photo) can be admired there. Miramar is open Tuesday to Sunday (10h00-17h00); entry admission is 3 €.

The photo was chosen from my archive. It was taken near Valldemossa, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 16th, 2008. The time was 14:43:01.