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Spain- La Palma
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Posted On :
Sep-15-2010
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Article Word Count :
448
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The city of Palma was founded by Romans and is located at the bottom of a large bay that extends deep in the south of the island.
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The capital city of Palma de Majorca
The city of Palma was founded by Romans and is located at the bottom of a large bay that extends deep in the south of the island. The city was surrounded by fortifications which have not been fully preserved. You can find many old buildings in the center of the city towards the coast. The old part of the town has narrow winding streets and there are palaces from the XVI and XVII centuries. The city has many historical sites such as the cathedral, the church of San Francisco, Gothic monastery, Lona, Bellver Castle, etc.
Gothic Cathedral
The building of this cathedral started in the XII century and it was completed early in the eighteenth century (some additions were made in the nineteenth century). It is located on an area of 7,000 square meters and consists of three large wings. La Seu is a typical Gothic sacral building. Portal is in the Renaissance style. The South facade with its "counterfort" gives the odd image when the city is approached from the open sea. Inside are placed the Royal Chapel and two chapels in each of the outer wings and the Cathedral Museum.
Palacio de la Almudaina
Jaime II king built his palace on the former Alcazar in the fourteenth century. It consisted of a square building with four towers. Later it was rebuilt, so the Royal Chapel was added in the western part in the Gothic style, now known as the Chapel of Santa Ana or Queen's palace. Today the palace Almudaina is open to visitors and it is also turned into a museum.
Furthermore there is the famous Grand Hotel. This is one of the first representatives of the so-called Modern Catalan style.
Two monasteries
Palma had two important monasteries. First there was the Dominican monastery that was the center of "sacred institution". It does not exist anymore. Then, there is the monastery-church of San Francisco, masterpiece of the thirteenth century.
La Lonja
This is a symbol of commercial and maritime power during the fifteenth century in Majorca. Inside there are columns without bases and capitals that end in a ribbed Gothic vault. That is why they are called "stone palm trees".
Bellver
This fortress was built by order of King Jaime II during the fourteenth century. It has a circular shape with a large inner courtyard. Its bastions offer a spectacular view of the city and the sea. For years it served as a prison and today it has been converted into a museum.
Along the bay there are many tourist resorts: C'an lozenge, Playa de Palma and El Arenal (southeast) and Palma Nova and Magallup (to the southwest).
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Spain- La Palma_33054.aspx
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Author Resource :
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Keywords :
Palma de Majorca, Gothic Cathedral, sacred institution, Dominican monastery,
Category :
Travel and Leisure
:
Vacations
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