A Walk through the Historical Centre of Alcudia

If you are looking for a bit of culture and wondering what to do in Alcudia... It’s not just beaches, you know! Then, a walk round the historic centre of Alcudia, where you will see and discover monuments, narrow streets full of history and everything else that makes the old town of Alcudia full of life and very special. It is highly recommended. From Zafiro Hotels we would suggest a walking tour through the historic centre of the town which dates from 1229, the year of the Catalan conquest. It was shortly after this date that the existing parish of Alcudia was established, but it was during the reign of Jaime II of Mallorca that the construction of the walls surrounding Alcudia began and it’s here our adventure begins. We recommend a cultural route round Alcudia that brings together the different monuments that history has left behind as an inheritance to this emblematic place. On this tour you will discover the different walls, gates and bastions, the Church of Sant Jaume, the chapel of Sant Crist and the most significant city houses. Can we give you a bit of advice? To make the most of the day, do this excursion on a Tuesday or Sunday when the traditional market is held as it is worth taking a look round this very authentic market.

A Stroll around Alcudia There are thousand ways to see the town of Alcudia and there is a lot of corners and alleys that are worthy losing yourself in. This part we´ll leave to you, stroll along and discover the charms of the area is much more funny with an element of surprise. However, there are some points of interest that cannot be missed, so let us guide you for part of the route. Our recommendation: walk around the town following the Camí de Ronda. This narrow street runs along the inside of the historic walls. Read on!

The Medieval Wall  The truth is that nowadays, Alcudia retains only a small part of its original walls. For centuries the cordon of stone that surrounded the town was one of Alcudia’s most important symbols. Construction began in the 13^th century (1298) and didn’t end until the middle of the 14^th century (1360). The strategic location of Alcudia also exposed it to the dangers of being close to the coast and because of this, King Jaime II devised a system of protection, the iconic wall of Alcudia. The idea of the wall not only served as a defence for the local population, but also created a safe haven on northeast of the island in the event of a foreign attack. Originally, it was quadrangular structure reinforced by 26 towers distributed along the perimeter of 1.5 Km. with an average height of 6 meters. All this and a moat which can still be seen today, marked out the historic centre of Alcudia, which in 1974 was declared Historic-Artistic site along with the remains of the Roman city of Pollentia. Just two of the doors to wall are in existence today: la Porta del Moll or Xara, to the East, and to the west the Porta de Sant Sebastià. The Porta de Mallorca and Sant Sebastià linked the town of Alcudia with the main thoroughfare to Palma. The Porta des Moll or Xara connected the town of Alcudia with the port and it is here that the original portcullis can still be seen.

The Renaissance Wall and its Bastions The building of second enclosure of walls around Alcudia began in the 16^th century. Unlike the Medieval walls, which needed prominence and dominant towers to fight off the enemy, the new walls would seek the opposite the new forms of attack, based on the use of gunpowder and cannons, needed a defensive element with only the minimal relief. Therefore, the bastions on this wall, which were where the artillery weapons were placed, were low. Of the eight that were initially constructed, only four of them can be seen today: the Baluart of the King, the Baluart of the Queen, the Santa Maria Baluart and the Sant Ferran Baluart, which is inside the bull ring. In the end, the Renaissance walls were pulled down for two reasons: to allow the growth of the city and its sanitation, as epidemics were quite prolific at the time.

Church of Sant Jaume and Chapel of Sant Crist The Church of Sant Jaume is, without a doubt, a not to be missed sight if you are walking or on an excursion in Alcudia. This Gothic church, which dates from the 15^th century, can be found in the immediate vicinity of the old city walls, and it integrates perfectly with the medieval atmosphere of the town. The years took its toll on the original parish church of Sant Jaume. In 1870 it was demolished to be rebuilt in a neo-Gothic style work continued on it until 1993. On the main facade, the tympanum of the door contains a sculpture of the Holy saint, the work of Remigia Caubet. A large rose window illuminates the interior of the temple and on the east, the facade bears the coat of arms of Alcudia. Adjacent to the Church built at the end of the 17^th century, is the chapel of Sant Crist. This was erected to guard the image of Sant Crist, a polychrome carving dating from the 15^th century.

The Houses of Alcudia and other Mallorcan History Bites As you wander through the street of Alcudia, you will still see several houses that suffered, especially their facades, from the fashionable transformations of the 16^th century. However, there are still some houses that have only suffered from the passage of time. One of the most prominent of these houses is Can Torró which is currently home to the most modern library in the Balearic Islands. The Can Torró library is not only admired for its purely Renaissance lines but because it regarded as one of the pillars of Alcudia’s culture. It can be found on Carrer Serra and its neighbour Can Fund, where you will find the oldest city shield known to date. Can Fund is currently home to the Historical archives and an Exhibition Hall. All this is only an "aperitif" to what Alcudia has to offer, there is much to see and discover in Alcudia and at Zafiro Hotels we look forward to showing you the secrets hidden within this city that have so much history to tell. Discover the historic centre of Alcudia from our hotels: the beautiful 4-star Zafiro Tropic and the exclusive 5-star Zafiro Palace Alcudia.