Can Casasayas and Pensión Menorquina

Art Nouveau in Palma de Mallorca

Mallorca

A tour of the city’s modernista and Art Nouveau architecture.


Great names of Catalan Art Nouveau such as Gaudí and Domènech i Montaner shaped the architecture of Palma de Mallorca with their aesthetic in the early 20th century. This route visits the city’s most representative Art Nouveau buildings, in a style which still has an undeniable impact on the viewer.

You can walk the route we suggest here in 2 to 3 hours.

Parlament-Antiguo Círculo Mallorquín

The route starts at the Parlament of the Balearic Islands, the former Círculo Mallorquín. Art Nouveau motifs can be seen in the windows, columns and capitals. Very close by we find Can Corbella, an unusual block of flats in a Neo-Mudéjar style. The wooden columns superimposed on the façade, with horseshoe arches and stained glass on the ground floor, are some of the most outstanding elements.

Edificio Paraire

We continue on to Edificio Paraire, notable for its vertical feel, geometric decoration and the combination of glass, stone and wrought iron on the balconies. By the same moderniste architect, the next stop is Can Roca, with balconies featuring colourful ceramic decoration.

Detail of the façade of Can Corbella, Palma

Can Casasayas and Pensión Menorquina

On the Plaça del Mercat we find these “twin” buildings: they were planned at the same time, in a similar style, and were originally intended to be connected by an upper walkway which was never built.  The undulating lines of the façade remind us of Casa Batlló in Barcelona.

Gran Hotel

Our next stop is on Plaça Weyler, and is one of the city’s most significant moderniste buildings. It has many striking decorative Art Nouveau elements, with sculptures, plant motifs, polychromed ceramics, balustrades and wrought iron. Inside there are notable architectural solutions designed to maximise natural light. The building is now a cultural centre belonging to the Fundación La Caixa: it has a permanent collection of works by the moderniste painter Anglada Camarasa and different temporary exhibitions throughout the year.

Façade of the Gran Hotel

Still on Plaça Weyler, we find another unique example of Art Nouveau decoration, this time applied to the exterior of the bakery Forn des Teatre.

Can Forteza Rey-Almacenes El Águila

These two neighbouring buildings immediately attract attention with their profusely decorated façades. The mixed colours of the ceramics and broken tile mosaics (trencadís), the sinuous balconies and wrought iron railings, the abundant sculptures and the walls decorated with floral, plant and animal motifs have a tremendous visual impact.Along Carrer Colom we come to the Antiga Casa de les Mitges. Notable details include the trencadís under the balconies, the circular ceramic plaques, the curvilinear plant-inspired mouldings, and of course, the triangular balconies on the top floor.

Examples of Art Nouveau in Palma

Can Barceló

This block of flats features several ceramic decorative panels with allegories of the arts, trades and crafts. The plant and animal inspired decoration is also in the Art Nouveau style.  Further on, we can stop at the Museum of Mallorca, which has a section of Art Nouveau furniture. We continue on to the Cathedral, the interior of which was remodelled by Gaudí. Before you leave, although it isn’t Art Nouveau, you should take the chance to see the chapel Del Santíssim to enjoy the striking mural by Miquel Barceló.

Can Coll

Just on the other side of the same square housing the Lonja de Palma, we find the Can Coll building. Its wrought iron railings and glazed balconies are outstanding, as are the sculpted plant motifs on the façade. Nearby, on Avenida Antoni Maura, there are two more buildings with Art Nouveau details: Can Salas and Can Mulet.

Woman taking a photo of Palma Cathedral

Are you ready for more?

Outside the old town centre there are other interesting Art Nouveau buildings. For example, in the Santa Catalina district (the hundred-year-old ironmongers La Central, Hostal Cuba (declared a Property of Cultural Interest), the Can Pujol and Can Palmer buildings, etc.) or in the Terreno district (Villa Schembri, Can Quetglas…). Also, the permanent collection of the Fundación Barceló includes works by moderniste painters like Santiago Rusiñol and Anglada Camarasa.

Find out more about...