Can Corbella is one of Palma’s most original buildings, just down from Plaça Cort, on the corner of Carrer Santo Domingo. Its beauty is simply spellbinding. The late 19th century building does not strictly form part of the Modernism movement but pertains to a style that is known as Neo-Mudéjar or Neo-Moorish. The master builder’s name is Nicolau Lliteras. An existing complex of three buildings was reformed and unified behind a superimposed façade devoid of any structural function whatsoever and completely made of wood. The building takes its name from a pharmacy, Droguería Corbella, which was installed in the building’s ground floor from 1895 until 1985. A branch of a local savings bank occupies the erstwhile chemist’s premises. The building extends over five floors. From the street level, the uppermost floor can not easily be seen as it is slightly set back. On top of it all, an octagonal tower extends over two storeys, reminiscent of Antoni Gaudí‘s earlier work. The horseshoe arched windows on the ground floor are topped with stained glass windows and beautifully painted moldings representing the guild associations of craftsmen and merchants of the end of the 19th century.

A few years ago the building’s interior underwent a significant attempt at modernisation when, sadly, a large number of original features were removed.

The photo was taken in Palma de Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: August 16th, 2010. The time was 12:06:44.