| Pollença |
| Mallorca Towns |
 Pollença (Pollensa) is a town and district situated in the far north corner of the island of Mallorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia, and has an estimated population of 15,536[1]. It lies about six kilometres west of its port, Port de Pollença (Puerto Pollensa).This town, which has a population of around 9,000 sits near the northern tip of Majorca close to two mountain ranges– Sierra Del Norte and the Sierra De Tramuntana and is only a one hour drive north from Palma. The land around the area is one of the earliest parts of Majorca to have been inhabited and the name Pollensa derives from the name of the Roman capital — Pollentia.  The village of Pollença was founded in 1229, when King Jaume I brought Mallorca into the Christian world and introduced Catalan culture, around 6 km from the coast in an effort to avoid pirate attacks. Pollensa still has many attractive buildings dating from the 13th century. The town is very old Majorcan in appearance, having narrow cobbled lanes bounded by tall stone houses and numerous church clocks regularly chiming. Most houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries which is why many of the streets are very narrow and compact, a leftover from the medieval era. The central square, called Plaça Major, has numerous outdoor cafés and is dominated by a large 13th century church Esglèsia de Nostra Senyora dels Àngels (Our Lady of the Angels) which was built by the Knights Templar. The architectural style of the building today fluctuates between Baroque and Classicism, with a basilical layout, displaying a gently-pointed vaulted roof and lateral chapels. Inside the building there are Baroque altarpieces and mural paintings. The square of Plaça Vella, to the left of the church, together with the surrounding streets, forms the early part of the town, which has a decidedly medieval character. The water fountain of the Font del Gall, built in the 19th century, which has since become one of the symbolic reference points of Pollença can be found in the small square of Plaça de l´Almoina. The Oratory of Sant Jordi - an old 16th-century church with a basilical layout, cross-vault roof and a single chapel is at the end of the street of Carrer Costa i Llobera. On the street of Carrer de Jesús is the building of Monti-sion, an old Jesuit monastery constructed in the 18th century and inhabited by this religious order until its expulsion from Spain. Pollença Council converted it into the Consistorial House, in the 19th century, and reopened the church, which has a basilical layout, a barrel-vault ceiling and lateral chapels, with an interior decoration in the French Baroque style. Of all the architecture here, the cloister of the old monastery is of particular note. You will find an abundance of history throughout the town and a very enjoyable day or more could be spent delving into the history of many of the old buildings still standing in Pollença.  At the rear of the town is the Calvary Hill where you can (and many do), climb the steep rise of 365 shallow tread steps to the top, which leads to a pilgrim chapel (Calvari Church). It is one of the town's most distinctive features and On Good Friday this is the setting for the most dramatic parade of the year. First, on the road winding up the back of the hill, there is an enactment of the Stations of the Cross. This is followed by a mock crucifixion on top of the hill after which the figure of Christ is ceremonially removed from the Cross. There is a sombre, torchlit procession carries a figure of Christ through the town, it is led by hundreds people in cloaks, masks and pointed hats and done in total silence save for the slow beating of a drum. The town is packed with tourists and locals who come to witness the spectacle, and there is a large screen set-up in one of the squares for people to follow the event. If you are keen to stay in an attractive old world town, steeped in history, then you will enjoy being in Pollensa. As Puerto Pollensa and Cala San Vicente are only short bus journeys away, you could spend part of your holiday in these towns where you will find wonderful beaches and an abundance of restaurants suitable for all tastes. Every Sunday morning a market takes place in the square, which attracts visitors from far afield and it also offers a good reason to be able to sit in one of the many bars and enjoy tasty food and refreshments. The town is popular with tourists and holidaymakers, particularly from Britain and other European nations. One of the best kept secrets of the region is the underwater world and numerous diving centres which exist. There are many festivals in Pollença: The trade fair is in the 2nd week of November January 16th massive bonfires are lit all over town for the Eve of feast of St. Anthony. The following day an event called El Pino involves a huge pine tree which is dragged through the town, stripped of its branches and erected in front of the church. Youths then compete to climb the trunk. In February the annual carnival is held and in July the patron saint is honoured with parades, concerts and dancing. |
