The Studium Generale Lullianum
The making of a university in Mallorca has been in the works for the best of 735 years. Ramon Llull, Mallorca’s wunderkind, philosopher, poet, theologian and mystic, founded the Col·legi […]
Cardinal Despuig
One of the most eminent families of nobility in Mallorca’s history has to be the Despuig family, counting amongst them the Condes de Montenegro and Condes de Montoro. The most […]
Albert Camus and the Balearic Islands
Albert Camus, French novelist and dramatist, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1957. Camus was born in Algeria from a French father and a mother of Spanish descent. The mother […]
The Banys Arabs
Did you know that there are two Banys Arabs (Arab Baths) in Palma? One installation is a modern recreation from the 1960s and can be found at the Pueblo Español, […]
Tapas
It’s hard to say what single item would come to one’s mind when one would try to associate things typical of Spain. Flamenco would perhaps rank in the forefront, or […]
The Peninsular War
In 1807, the French emperor Napoleon moved his troops through Spain to invade Portugal. After feeding more than 100,000 troops into Spain under the pretext of supporting the invasion, Napoleon […]
The Blessed Oil Of Sant Blai
The Església de Sant Joan de Malta in Palma’s Old Town had been closed for restoration for almost two years. The church dates from 1835 and was erected over an […]
The Year Of The Rabbit
After the Western New Year (January 1st) and the Jewish New Year for the Tree (January 20th), the third New Year of the year has arrived. Mallorca’s Chinese contingent will […]
The Parlament de les Illes Balears
Democracy in Spain is a very recent occurrence. After the death of the ruler for near-on 40 years, Francisco Franco, a Spanish constitution was declared and implemented in 1978. With […]
The Ballet Of The February Sun
May I remind you that twice a year, on November 11th and on February 2nd, we have the unique opportunity to see a truly awesome spectacle of light inside Palma’s […]
Correfoc Fun At Sant Sebastià
Don’t go shopping in Palma de Mallorca today. Everywhere but bars will be shut for festivities all day today, as the Festa de Sant Sebastià is being celebrated. The saint […]
Hug A Tree
Hug a tree or, even better, plant a tree. That’s the motto of Tu Bishvat, the Jewish New Year for Trees. Tu Bishvat is one of the four Jewish new […]
The Crucero Baleares Monument
The controversial monument in Palma’s Plaça de Sa Feixina in memory of the sinking of the battleship Baleares has undergone a complete renovation. The heavy cruiser Baleares (photo centre) was […]
An Ice-Skating Rink in Palma
One would not normally expect Mallorca to be a destination for winter sports. Once, many years ago, I came across a Palacio de Hielo in Palmanova, or was it Magaluf? […]
The Orquestra Simfònica de Balears
Classical music in Mallorca on a philharmonic or symphonic level was made possible thanks to the love affair of a Korean composer and a young señorita from Mallorca. Eak-Tai Ahn, […]
Palma’s Sa Calatrava District
Do you know the district of Sa Calatrava in Palma’s upper old town? The barrio can be found in the immediate neighbourhood of the Call, Palma’s old Jewish quarters. In […]
The Mallorca Photo Blog 