Modernism arrives in Majorca through renowned architects, figures of Catalan Modernism, such as Antonio Gaudi, Lluís Domenech i Montaner or Joán Rubio, who came to the island to meet the demands of the early 20th century Majorcan bourgeoisie.
Majorcan architects such as Gaspar Bennássar, Jaume Alenyar, Francesc Roca or Guillem Reynés were influenced by this modern style and by international trends, both historicist at the end of the 19th century (neo-Gothic and neo-Mudéjar) and by French Art Nouveau and Belgian (undulating and floral shapes) or Austrian (geometric shapes). These passionate and creative architects have left their unique mark on a set of buildings intended for social life, the private domain or the commercial world. Nothing better than a walk in the historic center of Palma to discover these buildings with remarkable charm.
One of the most dazzling modernist buildings is the Gran Hotel built by Lluis Domenech in 1903 on Place Weyler opposite Place du Marché. The most famous hotel in the city, until it closed at the start of the civil war (1936), benefited from unique innovations for the time as electricity, lift and central heating. It now houses the headquarters of La Caixa Foundation, a Cultural Center which has a permanent collection of the Catalan painter Anglada Camarassa and hosts temporary exhibitions of international scope.
Adjoining the Market Square are the Las Casasayas and Pensión Menorquina buildings, commissioned from the architect Francesc Roca in 1908 by Josep Casasayas Casajuana, owner of the famous Can Frasquet pastry shop. These perfectly symmetrical constructions are separated by the small street of Santacilia, the initial project to bring them together was never carried out. With their magnificent balconies and undulating shutters inspired by Art Nouveau, they are classified by the Consell de Mallorca as an Asset of Cultural Interest.
Not far from Plaza de Cort where the splendid Palma Town Hall is located, stands Can Corbella, a superb building with 3 floors and 3 facades designed by Nicolás Lliteras and intended to accommodate housing and shops. The Corbella drugstore installed on the ground floor until 1985 gave it its name.
Crowned by a small octagonal tower, it belongs to the pre-modernist trend in the neo-Mudejar style which introduced the main lines of oriental art: a polychrome wooden facade, arches and colored windows.
A few steps down Calle Colom, the goldsmith Lluis Forteza Rey imagined and directed the construction of the Casa de les Mitges in 1906. This 5 floors building has a unique facade, rough, decorated with stones, of 2 triangular balconies and a mosaic of colored ceramics.
In the same street, near the Plaza Mayor, Lluis Forteza Rey also designed the interior decoration and the facade of Casa Forteza Rey, one of the most admired buildings in the city. Dating from 1910, this building owes its originality to the multicolored ceramics of the Mallorcan factory "La Roqueta".
The great influence of Gaudi's work is omnipresent in the use of wrought iron, ceramics and in the wall decorations with floral and animal themes. The neighboring building known as the Águila Shops was built in 1908 by Jaume Alenyar, in the trend of Viennese Modernism, as shown by the arch in the center of the facade, reminiscent of that of the KarlsPlatz metro station in Vienna.
The medieval cathedral of Palma, La Seu, also bears the modernist imprint of Gaudí and his assistant Rubió i Bellver, because in 1899, the Bishop of Majorca, Pere Campins, seduced by their surprising proposals, entrusted them with the restoration of the interior of the building.
Near the cathedral, descending towards the sea, we discover Can Mulet and Can Salas, whose facades correspond to a more austere modernist style. Further on, on Paseo Sagrera, is “Can Coll” whose entrance door frame is particularly remarkable.
Can Coll
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