Along the Passeig des Born in Palma de Mallorca two pairs of Mallorcan sphinxes can be found. Originally, the passage was a dry riverbed occasionally filling up with water after heavy rainfalls in the Tramuntana mountains. One such gush of water, in 1403, lead to some severe flooding, resulting in the death of thousands of victims. The water course was duly moved to beyond the city’s expanse and a jousting field was installed in its place. Later, the area was converted into a Boulevard for Palma’s middle classes.

After the death of Fernando VII in 1833, the young Princesa Isabel was named his scion and successor, giving the authorities in Palma the opportunity to commemorate the future monarch with a boulevard in her name. The boulevard was now called Salón de la Princesa. The tortoise fountain was erected and so were the four sphinxes. In later years, the boulevard was given its present name, Paseo del Borne.

The photo (top) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: February 2nd, 2010. The time was 10:53:22. The photo (bottom) was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: February 2nd, 2010. The time was 13:01:50. The photo (top) shows the appearance of one of the sphinxes a few weeks ago, whilst the bottom photo shows the state of the sphinxes in the 1920s.