n the Plaza de la Constitución, at number 22, dominating the square, stands the Parish church of Sant Bartomeu, a building erected in different stages of construction, evident in the various different remains that can be seen around it. The original church was built before 1236, undergoing various modifications throughout the centuries. On the side façade on the calle del Born is the old entrance to the medieval church, with a walled-up semicircular doorway; in calle de Joan Baptista Ensenyat, you can still make out a large Romanesque gabled window; and on the exterior, remains can be seen of the 16th century walled fortification, built as a consequence of the most devastating Turkish assault that the town of Sóller suffered in 1561. The interior still boasts very beautiful Gothic and Baroque altarpieces. The church seen today is a Baroque structure (1688-1733), with an art nouveau façade designed in 1904 by the Catalan architect and Gaudí disciple, Joan Rubió i Bellver. The new façade starts from the entrance atrium consisting of three ogival arches, flanked by two angels sheltering the statue of San Bartolomé, patron saint of the city, and crowned by a staggered structure. The result is a façade of Neo-Gothic inspiration, with the greyish colour of the Sóller limestone catching your attention, with its rough or rustic treatment, giving the façade an interesting texture. At number 21 of this square is the Bank of Sóller, which was built in 1889 in order to safeguard the capital accumulated by the emigrants returning from France and the Americas. It is the work of the same architect who designed the façade of the parish church, Joan Rubió i Bellver. The building was renovated in 1910-1912 with the same rustic treatment as the parish church façade, as if it were a continuation of that building. Distinctive features are the original design of the openings, the projecting double balcony in the style of Gaudí, the circular doorway and the meticulous ironwork on the windows in complicated curved forms.

The Santa Eulàlia parish church in Palma is the backdrop of the legend of the young Lully’s entrance when he pursued a lovely lady with whom he had fallen in love. The poet Joan Alcover y Maspons (1854-1926) captures this episode in his poem Mallorca i Ramon Llull: The Un jorn, per a guarir-lo de sa passió insensata, li diu la dama bella: — Ramon… mira'm al pit.— I mostra la ferida que la podreix i mata. Baf de sepulcre olora lo foll amant… i esclata en llum son esperit. (One day, to guard against senseless passion, The lovely lady says to him, “Ramon, look at my breast.” And she shows him a wound, festering and deadly. Vapour of grave, perfume of mad lover... and his spirit broke into the light).

The Parish Church of the Transfiguration of the Lord is located on the side of Sant Salvador mountain. It overlooks the entire village. This Neo-Gothic building was started in 1573 to replace the small 13th century ancient Church. The chevet was finished in the 17th century, and the vault completed in 1816. The attached bell tower dates from the 17th century. Two portals give access to the building. The main portal known as Portal de ses Dones (Portal of Women) dates from the 19th century. It is decorated by the architect Bartomeu Ferrà. We must highlight here the modernist style of the pointed portal and the big rose window. The second portal is known as Portal dels Homes (Portal of Men). This entrance is still unfinished. The exterior structure features side buttresses and a lateral dome that decorates the building. Once inside the building, the visitor will find up to 14 small chapels dedicated to different Saints. We must highlight here the chapel dedicated to The Rosary. The altarpiece was installed in 1906 and represents different scenes of The Transfiguration of The Lord. Other important elements are the 17th century baptismal font, the 19th century pipe organ and the impressive stained glass windows.

Ramon Llull’s grave is located in the second chapel radiating out from the altar end of the Sant Francesc basilica. The church was designed by Francesc Sagrera in 1487. In the lower part are the niches where the allegorical figures of the seven arts were to be placed, the trivium and the quadrivium. In the middle are the coats-of-arms of Mallorca, the Catholic Kings and the Llull family line. And above is the sarcophagus of the Illuminated Doctor (Doctor Illuminatus, as Llull was known), with a reclining sculpture showing two angels accompanying the soul of the deceased into heaven. Here we can situate a strophe from Cant de Ramon, which talks autobiographically about old age. The poem might date from the end of Lully’s sojourn in Paris in around 1299. It is a true gem of Lullian lyricism because of its declaredly human character and its notes of sensitivity: Sóc hom vell, pobre, menyspreat, no hai ajuda d'home nat e hai trop gran fait emparat. Gran res hai de lo món cercat; mant bon eximpli hai donat: poc són conegut e amat. Vull morir en pèlag d'amor… (I am an old, poor, scorned man, there is no help from any man born and protected by a great faith. There is nothing in the world sought but a good example I have given: I am little known and loved I want to die in a sea of love.) Legend has it that Ramon Llull was stoned to death in 1316 in the North African city of Bougie. Seriously wounded, he was carried away by Genovese sailors and died in the ship that was transporting him to Mallorca just off the coast of the island. Gaston Vuillier re-creates the legend: “In Bougie he was wounded and finally stoned by the inhabitants at the gateway to the city. Some Genovese fishermen gathered his corpse and departed for his homeland. But when they thought they were entering the port of Genoa they realised that instead they were off the coast of Mallorca. They resolved to once again pursue the goal of their journey, but the boat, retained by a mysterious force, did not move forward despite their efforts and the favourable wind that filled the sails. They disembarked on the land, told the wondrous deed there and finally understood that they were destined to return Ramon Llull’s body to this land. Then, resuming their journey, they travelled without hindrances.” Vuillier goes on: “It had been decided that the corpse would be deposited in Santa Eulàlia church where the ashes of his ancestors rested. However, the religious men of Sant Francesc claimed him as a member of their community, and he was placed with great pomp within the sacristy of the convent and later transported to the grave he currently occupies.”

Type of construction Gothic of medieval origin (14th century) Important aspects Located in an ecologically very attractive natural area. Wonderful views. Distinguished elements Simple façade with round front door, surmounted by a small rose window ended with a belfry. Inside, there is a single nave divided into four sections by diaphragmatic arches. Wooden coffered ceiling.

You leave Son Marroig and reach the nearby village of Deià. One of the best known poems dedicated to the “wee nativity village”, according to an expression by Santiago Rusiñol, was penned by Joan Alcover Maspons. The poem “Notes de Deià” (Notes on Deià) was published in the collection Cap al Tard in 1909: As Maria A. Perelló says: “As if it were an impressionist acrylic, the poet, in a single pentameter metre, with the wash of the sea behind, outlines the idyllic picture of this tiny village in the Tramuntana range. So, as a curious character who breaks into the harmony of this closed cosmos, the poet, from his lookout, incorporates himself fully into the depiction of this landscape of Deià and reaffirms his contemplative stance before nature.” I Baixa la pendent d'estret horitzó, mitja carreró i mitja torrent. Cada casa sent pel seu pontarró passar la remor de l'aigua corrent. El saltant eixorda; la figuera borda li dóna ombradís. Clivell de la serra, dins un solc de terra tanca un paradís. II Les parres ombregen llenyers i pedrissos, dones qui feinegen, nins bellugadissos. Les figues verdegen damunt els canyissos; els galls se passegen enamoradissos. El fullam tremola, la vella s'acosta al foc de la llar. La vida s'escola, el sol va a la posta i el torrent al mar. III Roja clavellina surt de la foscor de l'alt finestró que el parral domina. Passa la veïna son escarpidor per la lluentor del cap de la nina. Blanca de bromera, cau la torrentera amb sa veu de tro. Cloqueja la lloca; un home badoca, i l'home sóc jo. (Alcover, Joan: Cap al tard. Barna: Ed 62-La Caixa, 1981; MOLC, 55; p. 32) You climb to Deià church and, next door, encounter the cemetery, where the tomb of Robert Ranke Graves lies (Wimbledon, London, 1895 - Deià 1985). He moved to Deià in 1929, until he had to leave Mallorca in 1936, due to the Civil War. He returned in 1945 and remained in Deià until his death. The author of a prolific body of work in verse and prose, he is renowned for his historical and mythological novels, such as the famous I, Claudius (1934). Part of his production references Deià and, in general, Mallorca. Captivated in his own words, by the puig des Teix, a sanctuary of the moon goddess, he refers to the mountain in the poem entitled “Xaloc a Deià” (Sirocco at Deià), which is reproduced by Ánget Terron here: De semblança tan poc natural emperò tan encertada; el mar com un gat amb el pèl agençat a l'inrevés mentre el xaloc amb el seu gust de forn es projecta amb fua entorn del poble 'Des de tot i cada racó, ardent com una pistola de dos dòlars' despullant les oliveres de les branques batudes, socarrant les roses, cegant els ulls amb sorra; entre llengües calumnioses en els petits cafès i en les cases de pedra viva amb finestrons tibants murmuren difamació, inciten i conviden els ganivets a consumar els seus quasi-assassinats... Esguardau, un gran núvol cavil·la negligent al cim de la muntanya quatre-cent metres damunt nosaltres, aturat, túrgid, anul·lant el sol i des d'ell fa befa un Dimoni altiu; 'Mer vent local, cap dels meus missatgers'. (GEM, VI, 321)

Type of construction Majorcan baroque style (1706-1893) Architect Master Jaume Blanquer Period From the second half of the 16th century to the 17th century. Distinguished elements Neoclassical main door, sculptural collection of the Virgin of Angels, covered by a half vaulted ceiling with lunettes. Important works of art preserved Gothic panel of Saint Maria of Inca, painted by Joan Daurer in 1373; Statue of Santa Maria la Major, by Pere de Sant Joan (C14-15); Renaissance altarpieces of Jesus’s Name (1587) and Saint Peter (C 16-17); baroque altarpieces of Saint Sebastian (C17) and Holy Christ (1667). There is also an interesting museum in the old sacristy located in the left part of the presbytery T:971500147