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The 10 Best History Museums in Majorca, Balearic Islands
The dreamy island that provided inspiration to Chopin and Miró now has a reputation as a spring break beach destination. Don't worry, though, if you're vacationing over elementary school spring break-- there's plenty for the younger crowd. Marineland's dolphin and sea lion shows and children's beach attract families. And if you have a Thomas-obsessed toddler, the antique train that travels between Palma and Soller is a must-see.
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1. Son Marroig
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 187 reviews
Beautiful 19th century manor owned by the Austrian Habsburgs. Emblematic possession in Deia where Archduke Ludwig Salvator lived. Best wedding venue! Check it on our instagram: @son_marroig
2. Finca Publica Son Real
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 42 reviews
Reviewed By Catsdoormat - Holsworthy, United Kingdom
SO worth the flight from Exeter for a quick birding break. An easy, 2.65 euro bus trip from Porto Pollensa, a soft and sandy walk along the beach from Can Picafort, and up into the garrigue landscape, home of countless warblers and other firsts for me, like the vicious and beautiful woodchat shrike, pied flycatcher, whinchat, and Sardinian warbler. Hot sun, cool breeze, aqua sea, precious little flowers at the feet...heaven. Particularly appreciated the simple and foolproof markers pointing the way for geographically-challenged idiots like me. Didn't want to leave.
3. Valldemossa Charterhouse
4. Palau de l'Almudaina
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 1,096 reviews
A royal palace has stood on this site since soon after the Arab conquest.
Reviewed By Aqua_Uomo - Toronto, Canada
I visited Palma at the end of February and between being a weekend, Carnival, crazy hours or simply not available many attractions were closed. This one was not closed and it has good long hours regardless of the day of the week or the season. For me, based on availability and content, this was the best the see in Palma. Other places, like the Cathedral is has short hours allowed for visiting or others like the Arab Baths are overrated. Make this your priority, it makes sense, it is beautiful inside-out!
5. Torre de Canyamel
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 133 reviews
A symbol of our heritage. Its impressive gothic style architecture and its particular features make this building one of the most outstanding in Europe and unique in Majorca. Strong and proud, The Torre de Canyamel reopened its doors in 2009 to offer the visitor a wide range of cultural events in an amazing setting: a permanent historical museum, an art exhibition centre, and an exceptional venue for music concerts and performances ... a unique place for receptions and events.
6. Fray Junipero Serra Museum
Overall Ratings
4.0 based on 22 reviews
The visit includes the Museum and the Junipero's house.
7. Moli D'en Nofre
8. Muee D'histoire de Manacor
9. Museu de Mallorca
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 32 reviews
Reviewed By periandro - Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
The Museum of Mallorca is a splendid art space inside a fabulous large house commonly known as “Ca la Gran Cristiana”. The building comprises two large gothic edifices constructed under the aegis of Miquel Lluis Ballester de Togores Salas when he became Count of Aiamans in 1635. The building gothic essence remains despite some works carried out in the nineteenth century and the three first decades of the twentieth. The structure is pentagonal-shaped dating back from the baroque period. The works integrating the permanent exhibition of fine and decorative arts are displayed on the first and third floors and consist in exhibits from various types of art, among others, painting, sculpture, architectural elements, pottery, tiles and furnishings thus covering all artistic styles prevailing in the different epochs. The visit to the Museum is a good way to get an insight on a part of the history of Mallorca on the basis of art and culture and learn about the particular characteristics of the artistic output made in the island or connected with it. The painting collections include works in several styles pursuant of the stylistic periods. The gothic works made for churches in Mallorca are ravishing masterpieces. As an example thereof the altarpiece of St. Bernard, by the Master of the Conquest of Mallorca, which keeps up with the hypothesis of gothic lineal style and is the oldest surviving Mallorcan medieval painting and the first known altarpiece in Europe showing the most outstanding highlights regarding the life of St. Bernard. The contemplation of the figures depicted in that picture, calling up the evolution of Byzantine forms, makes one feel a real enchantment. During the second half of the fourteenth century the arts in the pertinent region got the impact of the king Peter the Ceremonious whose appreciation of artistic creation was well known. In this regard, and just to cite two specimens of the artistic richness of the works concerned, the altarpiece of unknown origin “The Annunciation and the two Saints John”, attributed to Pere Marçol, dates from that period. It's a beautiful artwork depicting St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist on the side panels, and the scene concerning the Annunciation on the central one. It's worth watching it attentively in order to observe every single detail, especially the wonderful central scene, despite the fact that it's not in a good condition. Likewise, the anonymous painting portraying the Eternal Father seated on a gilded back stall as part of an altarpiece structure is a magnificent art work. As far as the early international gothic of the end of the fourteenth century and the beginning of the fifteenth is concerned, the relevant stylistic traits were introduced in Mallorca in the last two decades of the fourteenth century thanks to the work of painters who had trained in Valencia and Catalonia. Some of the works belonging to that period and exhibited in the Museum are really admirable, such as the painting of St. Lucy and St. Mary Magdalene - fragments from the predella of the altarpiece of St. Ursula - both by the Master of Monti-sion, and the “Annunciation of the Virgin's death” issued from the circle including the same author. In the main segment of the latter one can see one of the archangels kneeling before Mary, also on her knees, against a highly conventional architectural background. The pictorial treatment of the scene is extremely fine and rich. All in all it's a jewel of gothic art. There are also some items produced in accordance with the rules of the late international gothic as well as other paintings in the same style reflecting the Italian and Flemish influence. The works included in the pertinent section were collected or created mostly under the reign of the King Alfons the Magnanimous, who moved his court to Naples. Some of those works are really dazzling, such as “St. Gabriel and St. Anne, Mary and Jesus” by Pere Terrencs, and particularly a work which constituted a predella of the high altar of the patron saint of the Monastery of Santa Margalida by Joan Rosat or Rosató. It's a superb painting of a narrative nature which shows a number of scenes of the life of St. Margaret carried out in a highly expressive manner and with spatial ambition and a great perfection as to perspective. The contemplation of such a marvel is in itself a great pleasure. Apart from the paintings there are also other works in gothic style which are also very nice. These are some sculptures and some earthenware. Among the former some items are outstanding, to wit a wooden gilded and painted pair of angels by Arnau de Campredon, and the statue of St. Michael by Pere Morey, painted by Pere Marçol, also made of wood and gilded. As regards the earthenware a dish decorated with fish from the beginning of the fourteenth century and a bowl glazed on white with metallic luster are very interesting. Several artworks consisting in nice samples of the renaissance style are also displayed in the Museum. The most outstanding among them are the anonymous sculpture made or terracota regarding the image of Mary Magdalene; the painting on serge “The founding of the Charterhouse of Jesus” by Ferran de Coca, and “The apostles” by Mateu López. The last one is a magnificent painting which used to be the central panel of a sarcofagus concerning the Virgin Mary. The picture shows in a colourful and stunning manner the twelve apostles behind a nice table covered with damask. One may most probably feel elated at the sight of that artwork. Also in baroque style one can admire some masterpieces in the Museum. Some paintings in that style are especially attractive. These are, for instance, the painting portraying St. Catherine by Gaspar Oms I; “St. Michael and St. John the Baptist” by Miquel Joan Porta, and “Multiplication of the loaves and fish” by Miquel Bestard. The last one is a complex and daring composition in which the large figures on the left hand side thereof, one of them being Jesus blessing and multiplying the food, contrast with the schematic nature of the groups and the background on the right. One may certainly feel dazzled while contemplating that masterpiece. In addition to the aforesaid baroque artworks, all of them produced locally, the Museum houses also some paintings in the same style which were brought to Mallorca from other parts of Spain and also originating from other countries such as Italy, France and Flanders. Their themes are varied; they are mainly about landscapes, architecture, myths and legends, and religious subjects. Among the baroque paintings included in that section the two depicting the Archangels Sealtiel and Barachiel, respectively, by Bartolomé Román, ought to be outlined. One can admire in them the Archangels' delicate and fine traits as well as their handsome faces. They bear a crown of roses on their heads and are sumptuously dressed and shod. The painting “Roman Charity” by Niccolo de Simone shows the bloodcurdling scene of Cimon's daughter breasfeeding her father unjustly condemned to death by starvation. Besides, “Paris and Helen” by Mattia Prati is a beautiful painting showing Paris and Helen fleeing from Sparta to Troy. The dynamism in the treatment of the characters is outstanding and constitutes a notable feature determinant of the attractive nature of that artwork. As regards paintings, there are still some other baroque ones in that Museum which were made in the eighteenth century, throughout which the said style prevailed though at its end some signs of classicism began to appear. The most outstanding paintings appertaining to that period which can be observed there are “Justice and Peace” by Guillem Mesquida, and “Joan Despuig Safortesa” by Francesc Agustí Grande. In the former, the virtues which the painting title itself refers to are represented by the figures of two women and it's curious to see that each one of them holds her defining attribute: the sword for Justice and the olive branch for Peace. As to the latter, the admirable portrait of the personage as he was at the age of twelve is ravishing. The rest of the paintings in that Museum carried out throughout the nineteenth century consists basically in portraiture and mainly in classicist style. All the relevant items within that section are stupendous and executed with a great mastery of the applicable technique. Among them, the three deserving higher acknowledgement of the authors' talents are the portrait of “Isabel Miralles Guillot” by Joan Mestre Bosch, in which that lady is portrayed in a realistic manner against an idealised landscape; “Marià Aguiló” by Antoni Fuster Forteza, and particularly “Irene Beran, the Painter's Wife” by Bruno Beran. This one is a beautiful painting in which Irene is elegantly and luxuriously dressed in dark clothes. Her very pale face and her sad, serene gaze are remarkable features of that painting. In addition to the foregoing, it's possible to behold in that Museum some pottery ware from the modern era; some realist landscape paintings dating from the end of the nineteenth and the twentieth centuries; decorative arts including glazed tiles from La Roqueta Factory and furniture, and further landscape paintings in modernist and noucentist styles produced in the course of the twentieth century. As it can evidently be surmised after perusal of the foregoing, the visit to that Museum is highly recommended, particularly for the ones interested in getting an insight into history and culture of the island of Mallorca. The historical context surrounding the island's culture and art is exciting. This can be appreciated in the Museum which bear witnesses of the history of Mallorca and portrays the cultures and traditions of the past.
