Castell del Rei

Pollença, Spain

Pollença’s most emblematic monument is the Castell del Rei, one of the island’s three rock fortresses in the Valley of Ternelles, approximately 492 meters high. In Roman times, it was used as a fortification, and during the Muslim period it was (along with the Castle of Alaró) the last stronghold of resistance from the troops of Jaume I of Aragon, who invaded Mallorca in 1229. They resisted until March 1231.

Another prominent historical fact related to the castle was the resistance offered in 1343, and during a three-month siege, by the last of those faithful to the king of Mallorca Jaume III, after he lost his kingdom and had annexed to the Crown of Aragon.

The castle was used as a watchtower rather than grounds for defence. It was abandoned in the 18th century and is currently in ruins, of private ownership and closed to the public. Currently the road leading to the castle has been reason for controversy. Although it is a public road, the owners  have managed to restrict access.

References:

Comments

Your name



Address

Pollença, Spain
See all sites in Pollença

Details

Founded: 10th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in Spain

Rating

4/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Irene Fernández Nuevo (6 years ago)
Ramon, el guia, una pasada! Nos ha encsntado!
Magda Cáceres (6 years ago)
Un paseo increible! Fuimos un grupo de amigos y hemos quedado satisfechos con la visita...la recomiendo totalmente, quedamos muy agradecidos con el guía! Tiene mucha paciencia y conocimiento lo cual te transmite! Se nota que le gusta lo que hace...es una pena no poder subir al castillo pero entendemos que es para preservar la naturaleza!
Vanessa Sanchez (7 years ago)
Es una pena q ya no se pueda visitar el castillo ni la cala, haces un recorrido acompañado de un guía que te ayuda en el avistamiento de buitres y te facilitan unos prismáticos. El castillo lo ves de lejos, igual que la cala... Total unos 13km, si te gusta ver aves, es una excursión para ti... si no.... yo no la recomiendo, te vas a quedar con las ganas y además en época de calor es horrible.
Frank Witthinrich (7 years ago)
Leichte Wanderung über gute wirtschaftswege die man aber mit dem weg zur carla de Ray kombinieren sollte da ist der Aufstieg weil der so lang ist jedoch nicht zu unterschätzen einziger Nachteil ist das vorherige einholen der wandergenehmigung
Tony Flisch (8 years ago)
Stunning walk through managed woodland. Need permit from tourist office
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Historic Site of the week

Wieskirche

The Pilgrimage Church of Wies (Wieskirche) is an oval rococo church, designed in the late 1740s by Dominikus Zimmermann. It is located in the foothills of the Alps in the municipality of Steingaden.

The sanctuary of Wies is a pilgrimage church extraordinarily well-preserved in the beautiful setting of an Alpine valley, and is a perfect masterpiece of Rococo art and creative genius, as well as an exceptional testimony to a civilization that has disappeared.

The hamlet of Wies, in 1738, is said to have been the setting of a miracle in which tears were seen on a simple wooden figure of Christ mounted on a column that was no longer venerated by the Premonstratensian monks of the Abbey. A wooden chapel constructed in the fields housed the miraculous statue for some time. However, pilgrims from Germany, Austria, Bohemia, and even Italy became so numerous that the Abbot of the Premonstratensians of Steingaden decided to construct a splendid sanctuary.