Mallorca is the largest of the Balearic Islands that sit just off of the coast of Mainland Spain. All the islands together make up one of the most popular and most traveled vacation destinations around the world, and perhaps the number one for those living in the surrounding Mediterranean. Beginning in the 1960′s, development in the building industry was booming, with shopping malls, and apartment complexes and luxury hotels, Mallorca is being developed at a high rate. Most of Mallorca’s coastline is now lined with these buildings. Historical buildings such as the grand cathedrals and magnificent mansions are still prevalent in the islands capital city of Palma.
One of these buildings is the Castle de Bellver. The castle sits atop a small hill and was constructed in 1309. During the short time that Mallorca had Royal families, it was used by the kings for their summer castle. Proceeding that time period, it was used as a prison as it had fortified walls and was surrounded by two moats. Now, in current times it is an archaeological and historical museum. The only building that remains of the Moors in the capital is in the medieval district. It is an old bathhouse, with picnic tables and a garden terrace surrounding the grounds. And from the Gothic time period, the Cathedral el Seo stands and is one of the historical landmarks of Palma . The building overlooks the ocean and is dedicated to San Sebastian, the patron saint of the city. The construction of the cathedral began in 1300 and was not entirely finished until a large iron dome was built over the alter in 1909. So while there are many new buildings going up on the island today, there are still quite a few that represent the history of the city, and of the entire island of Mallorca.
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