One of the greatest monuments of Gothic architecture in southern Europe, the Cathedral of Santa María, also known as the Cathedral of Palma, is located off the coast in the south of Palma de Mallorca.


Legend has it that the fleet of King Jaime I of Aragon, the Conqueror, on its way to the island, was caught in a terrible storm. The ruler raised the prayers of the saint, promising to erect a temple in his honor. Construction began in 1229 on the ruins of an Arab mosque. The year of completion is 1601. The cathedral is known as La Seu.

The cathedral has magnificent stained glass windows from the 14th-16th centuries. The remains of the Catalan and Aragonese kings are buried in the miniature chapel of the Holy Trinity. The pearl of the collection of the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca is the Ark of the True Cross of the 15th century, inlaid with stones and precious metals.
The key to the temple's main door is surprisingly large, reaching about a meter in length.

The building of the Cathedral of Palma is impressive in size. Its length is 110 meters. Fourteen 30 meter long columns form the base of the support structure. The rose in the six-pointed star window, known as the "Gothic eye," is one of the largest in the world.

Antonio Gaudí was invited to participate in the reconstruction of the building at the beginning of the 20th century. The architect did not shy away from his freedom of creation by decorating the cathedral. His greatest contribution is considered a gigantic forged altar canopy. The structure was not appreciated and was stored, but was later restored and returned to its place, although only on the third attempt. Other ideas of the teacher were not always approved either. Courageous modernist ideas seemed inappropriate to conservative clergy regarding the strict Gothic cathedral. However, it was on Gaudí's initiative that the building was equipped with electricity.

The altar was surrounded by four solid columns, decorated with figures of angels with musical instruments in their hands. The chapels and the bell tower house the Cathedral Museum. Its unique collection includes jewelry, paintings and Christian relics. The Cathedral of Santa María regularly holds religious services and organ concerts.

The structure stands near the coast in the heart of the capital. There are public transportation routes through this area, so it will be easy to get here.

Address: Plaça de la Seu, s / n, 07001 Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain