History

The Lonja de Palma

Sa Llotja de Palma (Lonja; Lotge) was built between 1421 and 1447 as a maritime trade exchange centre. Construction was started by architect Guillem Sagrera from Felanitx. The construction period of […]

Fairs & Markets

In Vino Veritas

Wine is Mallorca’s big topic, now, during the month of September. Forgive me if I report about wine and wine making in more ways than one and on more than […]

History

The Convent de Santa Clara

One of the many convents and monasteries in Palma de Mallorca was founded by the Franciscan order in 1256 and dedicated to Santa Clara. The Convent de Santa Clara has always […]

Architecture

The Oratori de Santa Maria de Bellpuig

If it wasn’t for the Talayotic settlement of Ses Païsses circa 1300 B. C., one might argue that the Moors were the first to inhabit what today is known as […]

Fiestas & Festivals

Festa de Mallorca

Ever since 1997, September 12th has been celebrated as Diada de Mallorca (Mallorca Day). This day – today – is considered the date when Jaume I and his troops landed […]

Architecture

The Coffered Mudéjar Ceiling in Alfàbia

The Possessió d’Alfàbia is one of Mallorca’s great historic estates. The property is said to go back to a Moorish alquería and the 11th century when an Islamic Virrey, Ben-Abet, […]

Automobiles

Tin Lizzy

Yesterday, on one of my numerous rambles through Mallorca’s back alleys, I came across another unexpected find. The wrecked car shown here is not a Tin Lizzy which would have been […]

Customs & Traditions

The Rule of 2 Leguas

In the old days, distances in Mallorca were measured in Leguas. There was a Legua Real for distances on land and a Legua Marítima for distances at sea. The old […]

Architecture

The Quanat in Randa

One of the most peaceful villages in Mallorca has to be Randa. The small pueblo nestles on the slopes of the Puig de Randa which in itself is the home […]

Architecture

Modernisme

We are lucky here in Mallorca to be surrounded by a large number of buildings in the style of Modernisme, sometimes also called Catalan Modernism. The name is not only […]

Customs & Traditions

Sentimental Journeys

I must confess that I am intrigued by old things of a bygone era, be that a classic car, an old fountain pen, a motorcycle with sidecar, a Thirties wireless […]

History

The Torre de Canyamel

There are a good hundred defence towers and fortifications all over Mallorca, some going back to Moorish times. Most of them are in a pretty bad state of disrepair and […]

History

Saint Juniper

Miquel Josep Serra i Ferrer was born in Petra, Mallorca, in November of 1713. He is better known as Fray Junípero Serra, a name he took on in honour of Saint […]

Bars & Restaurants

Spurting Soda Siphons

My oldest memory of Soda siphons goes back to France during the Sixties, when everybody was sitting in bars and Bistrots drinking Pernod, Ricard or Absinthe, topped up and diluted […]

Daily Life

Love Thy Neighbour

You may find it difficult to talk about drugs or other substances causing addictions. But, like it or not, drugs are a problem here on the island, if not everywhere […]

Architecture

The Disappearance of the Convent of Santo Domingo

The order of Ordo Praedicatorum, a Catholic religious order, was […]

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