cathedral of mallorca

Palma is a major tourist destination for beach goers in the millions.  Germans, Russians, even the Spanish come here to luxuriate in the the beach resorts that line vast sections of the island’s coast.  But for a more serious tourist there is art, architecture and history, plus a neat one hour train to Sóller, a small, charming and tourist-overrun village in the mountains, in vintage wooden cars.  There are galleries for the upscale buyer and for Miró fans there’s his museum and studio on high with fine views of the coast.  (continued below the paintings)

After the the Iberians came the Phoenicians and Greeks.  The island was ruled from Rome no later than 123 BCE.   Then the Arabs arrived, whose fleet moored in the harbor and convinced the islanders to submit to Islamic rule while allowing residents to maintain their religious preferences.  Piracy was a significant source of wealth in the Islamic era, most likely largely due to the strategic location of the island.  The city was reconquered in 1229 by Jaume (James) I of Aragon.  His son built Bellver Castle and started the Cathedral.  In 1391 anti-Jewish killings were widespread.  Those who did not leave the island and survived were forced to convert.  Two gangs ruled the island in the 17th century,  when piracy was again widespread, while the Jews suffered tremendously thanks to that lovely chapter of Spanish history, the Inquisition.

The Cathedral, called La Seu, was started in the 13th but not finished until the early 17th century.   It is a Gothic structure and by no means is its exterior among the most attractive of that style.

The view of the Seu was from the roof of our hotel in the old center.