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Alcudia
Alcúdia´s town has got a medieval look. Visitors are brought to former
ages when strolling by the narrow pedestrian streets in the old centre.
Homely old houses, built according the traditional Mallorcan
architectural canons, share the streets with bigger Gothic or
Renaissance mansions. Together, they invite the visitor to find out the
small details imprinted by history through centuries. The medieval
ramparts are Alcúdia´s most characteristic feature. They were built
in 1298 by king Jaume II with the aim of defend Alcúdia and also as
shelter for people from the area around. It has got a polygonal ground
plab and a well preserved rampart walk inside it, with many accesses to
the walls and towers. Outside the wall, there is still most of the moat
all round. There are also two of the main entries; Xara, at the North,
which leaded to the harbour, and Sant Sebastià -also known as Mallorca-,
which is the entry to Alcúdia coming from Palma. There used to be
another Renaissance ramparts, built in 1660, but they were dismantled by
the end of the XIX century due to the lack of preservation. Now there
are a few remains spread around, and Sant Ferran bulwark, which is part
of the present bullring.
Andratx
Andratx
is in the west of Mallorca, at the south of Tramuntana mountains, where
these are not as high as those in the east. Andratx´s seaside is
characterized by high cliffs and small rocky beaches.
The oldest part in Andratx city, from the Middle Ages, are Pantaleu and
Pou Amunt districts, already existing in the XIV century. The upper town
is formed by narrow and winding stepped streets. The lower part has got
a grid plan design, with Plaça d´Espanya at its centre, where some
Modernist facades can be seen, and also very characteristic from Andratx
are the anthropomorphic chimneys. At Colom St. there is So Na Gaiana´s
tower, a remain from the old fortification that used to protect the
village from frequent pirate raids, which used Sa Dragonera Island as a
shelter for their ships.
Son Mas castle,
one of the most emblematic edifices, built in the XIX century on an old
farmhouse, holds Andratx´s Town Hall. In the building there is a late XV
century outstanding square tower, known by Sagrament tower, which was
attacked in 1578 by saracen pirates and defended by Captain Francesc
Desmas´ nanny.
Fornalutx
Fornalutx is a much-visited colourful village located in the Valley os
Soller, in the centre of the Serra de Tramuntana . Its origins go back
to the Middle Ages and it grew up around the site of a primitive Moorish
farmstead, as is indicated by the old streets in the highest part of the
village, which are narrow, winding and steep. Nearly all these stone
streets are stepped and are reserved exclusively for pedestrians. The
entire village is of great architectural and aesthetic interest, with
buildings kept in fine condition. The stone entrances, the austerity and
simplicity of constructions, together with their ornamentation, mean
that the houses of Fornalutx are fine examples of traditional Mallorcan
mountain architecture, reflecting life in times gone by. The village is
linked to agriculture, with vegetable, orange and olive cultivation
being the driving force behind the economy until the 1960s, just as in
the rest of the Valley of Sóller.
Before the arrival of mass tourism on Mallorca, there were artists and
foreigners here, who were drawn to the area by the beauty of the
landscape and the simple lifestyle of the locals. Some of these visitors
live permanently here. Tourism here is heavily based on second homes and
holiday apartments, as well as some hotels which are old houses which
have been converted, both within the village and in the surrounding
area.
Valldemossa
Valldemossa, which is located in the Serra de Tramuntana
range on Mallorca´s north coast, is one of the most visited and
emblematic places on the island. The village and the surrounding
landscape provide an extraordinarily beautiful setting, where visitors
can wander round the narrow stone streets, which are closed off to
traffic. The village dates back to the period of Moorish reign on
Mallorca, and the houses here provide a fine example of traditional
Mallorcan architecture, which is characterised by its sobriety and
simplicity. The houses have stone façades and many have an entrance
portal with a semi-circular arch. Some stand out due to the fact they
have been coated with mortar or lime which is encrusted with small
stones. The square of Plaça Pública - the oldest part of Valldemossa -
concentrates most of the houses with painted tiles
on the projecting roofs of houses; this is a characteristic feature of
Mallorcan architecture, but it is especially prominent in mountain
villages, where its popularity grew from the superstition that it
protected the house and its inhabitants from misfortune.
The Parish Church of Sant Bartomeu
was founded in the 13th century, though its current form is due to a
series of renovations and expansions carried out in the 20th century. It
has a Latin-cross layout, a cross vault roof and lateral chapels.
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