Mallorca, Spain

Mallorca is one of the Balearic Islands, located in the western Mediterranean, off the east coast of Spain. The toponym comes from the Latin for "larger island" (isola maior).
It has been inhabited since 7000 BC. The Phoenicians were the first to colonise the island in the 8th century BC which later became under the rule of Carthage. However, after the Romans won the Second Punic War against Carthage they occupied the island in 123BC, which flourished with the cultivation of vineyards and olive trees and the mining of salt. During this period the towns of Pollentia (Alcudia) and Palmaria (Palma) were founded.
From the early 8th century the island, which had eventually become under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire, was attacked by the Muslims, who conquered it in 902. Under the Emirate of Cordoba, the island once again prospered and the town of Palma was reshaped and expanded, becoming known as Medina Mayurqa. The Moors introduced irrigation and developed local industries.
In the 13th century King James I of Aragon invaded and occupied the island and in 1230 La Seu, the Cathedral started being built. 
In the 15th century, the crowns of Aragon and Castile united but Mallorca was under constant attack by the Barbary corsairs of North Africa. In response, a series of watchtowers and fortified churches were built.
In the early 18th century the dynastic union was replaced by a unified Spanish monarchy under Bourbon rule. The island of Mallorca was the last episode of the Spanish War of Succession.
Since the 1950s Mallorca has been a holiday destination for foreign tourists which caused Palma to grow significantly.

Roman Ruins of Pollentia
Tramuntana









Local: Maiorca, Baleares, Espanha

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