Sanctuary de Sant Salvador

Felanitx, Spain

Sanctuary de Sant Salvador, an old hermitage, 509m above sea level at the highest point of the Serra de Llevant was the senior house of Mallorca's monastic order and the last to lose its monks in 1992.

The walls were built in the 14th century to protect the town from pirates or invaders. There are walkways and a simple cafeteria along the walls, and a neoclassical church, which was built in 1832.

It is still a popular place of pilgrimage, flanked by two enormous landmarks - to one side a 14m stone cross, to the other a 35m column topped by a statue of Christ holding out his right hand in blessing. The views from the terrace take in Cabrera, Cap de Formentor and several other hilltop sanctuaries dotted across the plain. From the statue of Christ you look out towards the Castell de Santueri, a 14th century rock castle built into the cliffs on the site of a ruined Arab fortress. 

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Felanitx, Spain
See all sites in Felanitx

Details

Founded: 1348
Category: Religious sites in Spain

More Information

www.seemallorca.com
www.seemallorca.com

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Santueri Castle (2,7 km)


Santuari de Lluc (48,3 km)
Church of St. Jaume (44,4 km)
Capdepera Castle (34,9 km)
Roman Remains of Pollentia (44,3 km)
Alaro Castle (45,8 km)
Ses Païsses (29,6 km)
Capocorb Vell (31,7 km)
Castell del Rei (54,1 km)

User Reviews

Jan Kovačič (17 months ago)
Fantastic panorama of almost the whole Majorca. Great for taking photos and just enjoy the view especially the sunset.
Alan Aindow (18 months ago)
Stunning views, in kow places have to provide for tourists, and tge old religious site was wonderful and full of history, but a little too much touristy took away from the atmosphere a little. Still well worth seeing.
Andrew Wills (18 months ago)
Lovely views, a little out of the way, popular with cyclists (5km climb to get there) as well as day trippers. There's a restaurant at the top - didn't try it so can't comment - as well as a café serving the usual savouries and sweets, drinks etc. And the sanctuary has a collection of Rainbow Jersies from the (long dead) local cycling hero which are worth seeing.
Pavel Kadleček (18 months ago)
The place is beautiful. But it is also a great place to rob tourists. Unfortunately, they robbed my son here. Be careful, Mallorca is full of thieves waiting for their opportunity!
Richard Cardet (18 months ago)
510 meters over Sea level. The views are spectacular! One road up and the same road down. Lots of bicycle climbers 6% incline and really worth the effort!
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2020 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.