Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CaixaForum
GALLERY
(
www.lacaixa.es/ObraSocial
; Plaça de Weyler 3; 10am-9pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun)
This
exhibition centre is run by one of Spain's biggest building societies, the Barcelona-based
La Caixa. CaixaForum is housed in the wonderful Modernista building (the island's first)
that was once home to the Grand Hotel. Pick up a free program at reception and flick
through it at the ground-level cafe. There's also an excellent bookshop.
The Grand Hotel was a city landmark built in 1900-03 by the Catalan master architect
Lluís Domènech i Montaner and the first building in Palma with electricity and a lift. The
hotel was shut down during the Civil War and never recovered. As well as the art exhibi-
tions, other frequent activities here include lectures, workshops, film cycles and concerts.
Fundació Sa Nostra
GALLERY, CULTURAL CENTRE
(
www.obrasocialsanostra.com
; Carrer de la Concepció 12; 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 11am-2pm Sat)
The big Balearics building society, Sa Nostra, has a cultural foundation in Can
Castelló, where it stages exhibitions. It is worth popping by just to check out the fine
18th-century courtyard, which now hosts a hip cafe. The temporary exhibitions at the
centre are always worth a look.
The original house dates to the 17th century, and it even has a few Modernista touches
from renovation work in 1909. Just in front of it is
Font del Sepulcre
, a Gothic baptis-
mal font left over from a long- disappeared church. Inside it is a 12th- century Muslim-
era well. Carrer de la Concepció used to be known as Carrer de la Monederia, as the
Kingdom of Mallorca's mint was on this street.
Església de Sant Jaume
CHURCH
(Carrer de Sant Jaume 10; 11.30am-1.30pm & 5.30-8.30pm)
Despite its baroque
facade, this is one of Palma's older surviving Gothic churches. This grey soaring eminen-
ce is one of the first four parish churches to be built 'under the protection of the Royal
House of Mallorca' from 1327. It is said that the Bonapart family (later Bonaparte) lived
around here until they moved to Corsica in 1406. Napoleon could have been a Mallor-
quin!
Església de Santa Magdalena
CHURCH
