A guide to the Palma de Mallorca Cathedral

Mallorca is famous for its golf courses and beaches - not to mention the beautiful Costa del Sol weather. However, the Spanish destination also boasts a wealth of cultural attractions that you should definitely visit while on holiday, like its cathedral.

The Palma de Mallorca Cathedral is a stunning building that you will certainly notice as you drive about in your Mallorca hire car. Rather than just admire how beautiful it is, make sure you step inside and experience the interior. Children get in for free and it costs just €4 (around £3) for adults, so there is no excuse not to explore this top attraction.

Below is a brief guide to the cathedral, but you will learn plenty more when you take a tour of it for yourself, as well as be able to appreciate its atmosphere.

Its history

The Palma de Mallorca Cathedral has origins dating all the way back to the 13th century and if you are interested in architecture, you will be able to spot its Gothic design. The idea of a cathedral was conceived by King James I in 1229, but construction of the building over the walls of the city's Old Town did not start until James II was on the throne, with the former monarch and James III both buried in its Trinidad chapel. The main work to the facade finally ended in 1601.

Its design

There are plenty of features to highlight so you remember to keep an eye out for them when you visit the cathedral. Spread across around 6,600 sq m, the cathedral is 109.40 m long and 39.45 m wide. It has three naves, with the main one the location of the Trinidad chapel, although the Royal Chapel is a lot bigger. Before you have even stepped inside, a number of Gothic features will jump out at you, such as the main and south doors, the latter of which is decorated with vegetal and geometrical motifs.

Famous architect Antonio Gaudi added some of his own creations to the cathedral at the start of the 20th century, and if you have seen his other work, you will be able to easily spot these. After Gaudi transformed parts of the building, the former Baroque altarpiece was moved to the Palma parish of the Immaculate Conception.

Artist Miquel Barcelo has also contributed to Palma de Mallorca Cathedral. His ceramic mural is particularly special and you will find this in the Santisimo chapel. Another important part of the cathedral's design is its bell tower. There are, in fact, nine bells housed in the tower, with the N'Eloi bell weighing a huge 4,517 kg and measuring 2 m in diameter.

Its setting

The Palma de Mallorca's cathedral is set in the Old Town of the city, which is the ideal place to stroll around underneath the warm Spanish sun once you have explored the religious attraction. This quarter lies within the 18th century walls that were built around Palma in order to protect the city from pirates. As you stroll through the quaint streets, you will come across noble mansions, as well as old churches and palaces. The Old Town also has some lovely courtyards, with more than 40 of these features located across the city centre.