For the last year or so, the Casa Consistorial in Felanitx (Ajuntament, town hall), also known as La Sala, has been subjected to some exhaustive renovation and partial reconstruction. In the course of this reforma, an old prison area was discovered in the underbelly of the building, including some fetters, shackles and manacles to restrain the prisoners. Inscriptions and graffitis were found on the prison walls as well as on the enclosure of the town hall’s bell tower. The graffitis traced seem to mainly relate to the time of the Guerra Civil and the years of 1936-37, but some of them to much earlier times, possibly to the 19th or even the 18th century (see photo above).

The finds sparked off a thorough archaeological study culminating in the discovery of some remains of the building dating back to the Moorish and Islamic period. Apparently, the town hall was built over an antique Islamic Alquería. Of course we know that the name Felanitx has Moorish origins as well.

Building work on the town hall is expected to be completed later in the year. By the end of 2010, the Ajuntament de Felanitx will move back into the old town hall building. The bell tower as well as the prison cells will be made accessible to the public at some stage in the future, or so I was told.

The photo was taken from the Internet. My thanks go to diariodemallorca.es. The photographer is credited as Llorenç Oliver Servera.