The origins
The most fascinating prehistoric witnesses of the Balearic Islands are those of the so-called talayotic culture dating back to 1600 B.C. This name comes from the talayots that are found in large numbers in Menorca and Majorca. Circular or quadrangular in shape, these fortified towers impress by their so-called cyclopean layout, as they are made of imposing stones assembled without cement or mortar. Not to be missed: the towers of Ciutadella and Trepuco in Menorca. These protection and observation towers belong to the defensive system set up in the first Talayotic villages, of which we can see some remains at the site of Ses Paisses in Mallorca. The taulas are another amazing testimony of this culture. They are stone altars composed of a menhir topped by a flat stone and usually protected by circles of sacred stones. Finally, do not miss the navetas, burials so named because they have a structure similar to that of an overturned ship's hull. They consist of a small door leading to an antechamber or a corridor serving one or more rooms then superimposed. The most famous is the Naveta d'Es Tudons in Ciutadella de Menorca. Note its imposing dimensions and its rooms decorated with corbelled ceilings. In Mallorca other funerary buildings are developed like the hypogeums, funerary structures dug directly into the ground. The importance of funerary rites is found among the Phoenicians and Carthaginians who left beautiful marks of their presence, especially in Ibiza. The Punic necropolis of Puig des Molins is one of the largest in the world. Nearly 4,000 hypogeums have been found there. The site of Sa Caleta illustrates the Phoenician mastery of urban planning. There, you will discover the vestiges of a real city divided into districts and having residential areas populated with houses, but also more commercial districts with a bread oven or a cast iron workshop. A mastery of urban planning that can be found in Roman times as shown by the site of Pollentia on the island of Majorca. Three domus have been uncovered there, including the House of the Two Treasures with its beautiful arcaded façade. The forum with the capitol as well as a theater with a part of its terraces were also discovered there. Masters in engineering, the Romans also left the remains of imposing aqueducts, such as that of Santa Eularia des Riu in Ibiza.
From the Caliphate to the Spanish Crown
The development of irrigation systems, soil and orchard terraces, the development of iron, ceramics and glass techniques... thanks to their know-how, the Moors have considerably transformed the face of the islands. It was also under their control that the first great fortresses, the almudaina - such as the Palau Reial de l'Almudaina in Palma de Mallorca - were developed, as well as the first systems of ramparts. We also owe them a beautiful architecture of water with the presence of fountains in the squares and in the many patios of the houses, a typical Moorish layout. The baths are also a precious testimony of the Moorish presence, as evidenced by the Banys Arabs of Palma with their superb hammam surmounted by a dome allowing light to penetrate through beautiful skylights. The heart of the city, like that of Ciutadella in Menorca, still bears the mark of the medina of that time with its narrow, shady streets and small squares. Unfortunately, most of the witnesses of that time have been considerably modified or even destroyed by the different Spanish factions. Churches have replaced mosques and fortresses have been transformed into gothic palaces. Back in the Christian fold, the Balearic Islands are covered with superb religious buildings, first among which are the cathedrals of Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza. The first one is a symbol of the syncretism which reigns in the islands since it was built on an old mosque, itself built on a Roman temple. We admire this superb example of Catalan Gothic with its almost flat roof, its lack of transept and ambulatory and above all its high vaults drawing an open space and illuminated by the dozens of rose windows and stained glass windows piercing its structure. Convents and hermitages also multiply. In Ibiza, the architecture of the churches reflects the evolution of the island's situation. The first churches were real fortresses, low and solid, with gun emplacements like thechurch of Sant Antonio. Then gradually, the architecture became more open, the church becoming the center of the parish, which explains the presence of covered courtyards preceded by arched entrances to welcome the faithful. These churches with whitewashed structures were developed mainly from the 18th century onwards. In Ibiza, you cannot miss the watchtowers, most of them circular in shape and with a limestone structure, whose squat silhouettes with loopholes mark out the coasts of the island, such as the Torre des Savinar and the Torre de Balafia. This constant need for protection can also be seen in the multiplication of the ramparts surrounding the cities. Those that can be seen in Eivissa date from the 16th century. With their bastions and heptagonal shape, they seem indestructible. Alcudia, on the island of Mallorca, also has a superb stone wall, and two impressive square, crenellated towers, the Porta des Moll and the Porta Sant Sebastia. Within these powerful defensive systems are hidden other treasures bearing the mark of the Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. The Spanish presence can be seen in the many examples of civil architecture: town halls, private palaces, and commercial exchanges that populate the cities. Don't miss the Llotja, the beautiful commercial exchange of Palma de Mallorca with its three sumptuous naves, ribbed vaults and twisted columns, a beautiful example of flamboyant Gothic; or the Cal Marquès de Palmer, a sumptuous Gothic-Renaissance palace and the town hall, whose decorative richness begins a transition to the Baroque. These buildings are usually concentrated around squares that become the vibrant heart of the cities and the focal point of their urbanism. In parallel to this very "official" architecture, you can admire the richness of the rural habitat of the Balearic Islands, and more specifically that of Ibiza. Windmills, cisterns and dry-stone walls constitute a unique small heritage illustrating daily life in the countryside. But it is undoubtedly the fincas that are the pride of the island. These constructions, conceived by the peasants themselves, are designed to adapt perfectly to the rigors of the climate and to develop according to the needs of the inhabitants. Built in stone and blocks of local limestone bleached with lime, they are the result of the juxtaposition of simple cubic volumes. The flat roofs with local wood beams are designed to allow for the collection of rainwater, while the small number of openings allows for a pleasant temperature to be maintained, whatever the season. A sobriety and rationality that impressed Le Corbusier and the members of the Bauhaus!
Triumph of modernity
At the turn of the 20th century, the islands succumbed, like the rest of the continent, to the historicizing wave of neo styles. In Palma de Mallorca, the Can Corbella is a superb example of neo-Mudejar style. A style that can be found in many commercial or industrial establishments with its highly worked arcatures and its famous coffered ceilings. Gradually, this historicist trend gave way to a unique modernism that created an astonishing synthesis between the gentle curves of Art Nouveau, the geometric lines of the Viennese Secession and the dreamlike creations of Catalan Modernism. In Palma, the Can Casasayas and the Pension Menorquina, with their undulating facades and rich ornamentation, recall the creations of the leader of Modernism, the brilliant Gaudi, whose amazing creations can be seen... in the heart of the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca, where he redesigned the choir with wrought iron! Finally, don't miss the Gran Hotel de Palma (now the headquarters of the Caixa Cultural Foundation). The work of Lluis Domenech i Montaner and the first hotel in the city, the building is adorned with the most beautiful colors of Art Nouveau. In Ibiza, the modernists Josep Lluis Sert, Sixte Illescas and German Rodrigues Arias left their mark on the urbanization of the Can Pep Simo neighborhood, a project from the 1930s that was largely inspired by rural fincas, with its white houses and simple volumes. Josep Lluis Sert is also responsible for Miro's workshop in Palma. Between innovation and tradition, between concrete and traditional materials, Sert imagined a place that reflects its owner: unique. In 1992, Pilar Miro, the artist's wife, commissioned an extension from the architect Rafael Moneo. Nicknamed "the alabaster fortress", this creation is a masterpiece of formal purity and sobriety. And Moneo is not the only one who was inspired by these islands. Daniel Liebeskind designed the studio of artist Barbara Weil in Port d'Andratx in 2003. With its astonishing shapes and the purity of its luminous whiteness, the building is like a sculpture among sculptures, integrating harmoniously with the environment. A concern for integration that is found in Alvaro Siza's villa in Palma. Flat roofs, simple shapes that fit into each other... everything is reminiscent of the architecture of the fincas. The villas are today the most beautiful representatives of a contemporary architecture that is respectful of the environment in which they are harmoniously integrated, but also of the local traditions multiplying the use of materials and stones produced locally, privileging simplicity and sobriety, very far from the concrete walls of certain coastal areas. The villa Mediterraneo01 signed by the Metroarea agency is a very good example. At the same time, each island is multiplying campaigns to preserve and restore its heritage, while reinforcing legislation to protect the environment. The Balearic Islands, and especially Formentera, have understood that the survival of their identity depends on this protection.
