The country estate of Els Calderers near Sant Joan is one of Mallorca’s old possessiós (Manor Houses) dating originally from the 13th century. Today’s main house was built around 1750. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the estate was one of Mallorca’s biggest bodegas (wine producers) with vines being cultivated on large parts of the 800 cuarteradas (roughly 1,500 acres) making up the landed manor.

Nowadays, the main building and some of its land is open for visits. Els Calderers is now presented like a museum of the lifestyle of the upper gentry during the 18th and 19th centuries in Mallorca.

In a number of outbuildings the old bakehouse, the laundry, the smithy and the carpenter’s workshop give a glimpse of some of the old Mallorcan traditions, as do the chapel in the main building, the wine cellar and the upstairs granary.

On the grounds, autochthonous Mallorcan farm animals are on view such as cattle, horses, sheep, goats, turkeys, chicken, black pigs and dogs.

Els Calderers de Sant Joan is open for visits daily from 10h00 to 18h00 (except Sundays). The admission charge is 8 € (children half price). I would recommend a visit any time. The venue and its garden can also be rented for events, weddings or other banquets.

The photos were taken near Sant Joan, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: May 24th and 25th, 2011. The time was 17:53:25, 17:25:54, 15:11:01, 15:02:48, 15:30:36 and 15:05:45, respectively.