Prehistory and pre-Roman people

Archaeological research at Atapuerca indicates the Iberian Peninsula was peopled many ago. Modern humans began arriving in the Iberian Peninsula through the Pyrenees. The best known artifacts of these prehistoric human settlements are the famous paintings in the Altamira cave of Cantabria in northern Spain.

Archaeological and genetic evidence strongly suggests that the Iberian Peninsula acted as one of three major refugia from which northern Europe was vastly repopulated following the end of the last ice age.

The two main historical peoples of the peninsula were the Iberians and the Celts, the former inhabiting the Mediterranean side from the northeast side to the southwest, the latter inhabiting the Atlantic side, in the north and northwest part of the peninsula. In the most inner part of the peninsula, where both groups were in contact, a mixed, distinctive culture, known as Celtiberian, was present.

In addition, Basques occupied the western area of the Pyrenees. Other ethnic groups existed along the southern coastal areas of Andalusia. Among these southern groups there grew the earliest urban culture in the Iberian Peninsula, that of the semi-mythical southern city of Tartessos (pre-1100 BC) near the location of Cádiz. The flourishing trade in gold and silver between the people of Tartessos and Phoenicians and Greeks is documented in the history of Strabo and in the biblical book of king Solomon.

Between 500 BC and 300 BC, the seafaring Phoenicians and Greeks founded trading colonies all along the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Carthaginians took control of much of the Mediterranean coast in the course of the Punic Wars, until they were eventually replaced by the Romans.

Roman Empire and the Germanic Kingdoms: During the Second Punic War, an expanding Roman Empire captured the Carthaginian trading colonies along the Mediterranean coast from roughly 210 BC to 205 BC, leading to Roman control of almost the entire Iberian Peninsula; this lasted over 500 years, and they were bound together by law, language, and the Roman roads.

The base Celt and Iberian population remained, and local leaders were admitted into the Roman aristocratic class. Hispania served as a granary for the Roman market, and its harbours were used to export gold, wool, olive oil, and wine.

Palma cathedral

The cathedral was built over the city walls of Palma’s old town. Construction began during the reign of Jaime II, and it comprises of three naves. The main nave contains the Trinidad chapel, where the remains of kings Jaime II and Jaime III are to be found.

On the façade, special mention is made of the main door and the south door or Mirador. They are especially interesting for the decoration with sculptures by Guillermo Sagrera. The Mirador door is spectacularly beautiful on account of the wonderful decoration with geometrical and vegetal motifs, while the main doorway is supported by four majestic columns.

Reforms carried out by architect Antonio Gaudí at the beginning of the 20th century are another very attractive architectural feature of this building. Also the the works by artist Miquel Barceló in the Santísimo Chapel must be seen - his great ceramic mural, the stained glass windows and the furniture.

Additionally, Palma de Mallorca Cathedral has a tower with nine bells. Special mention is also made of the size of the bell known as “N’Eloi”. The bell measures 2 metres in diameter and weighs 4,517 kilos.

The origin is 13th Century. The period is 14th Century, and the style is Neogothic.