Bellver Castle

Few fortresses in Europe dare to take the shape of a circle, and Bellver Castle is not only one of them but the oldest of them all. This round floor plan, so unusual in military architecture, is the first thing that strikes visitors and what makes this Majorcan castle a unique example of the Gothic style.

Its setting accounts for much of its charm. It stands some three kilometres from Palma, atop a 112-metre hill surrounded by woodland, and from the top the view takes in the city, the port, the Serra de Tramuntana and the Pla de Mallorca. It is no coincidence that its name comes from the Old Catalan bell veer, meaning 'beautiful view': whoever named it knew full well what could be seen from its walls.

The fortress was built in the early 14th century on the orders of James II of Majorca, ruler of that medieval kingdom, who wanted to give the capital a stronghold worthy of his crown. Seven centuries on, the building retains the sobriety and elegance of its Gothic style, and in 1931 it was declared a Historic-Artistic Monument, which today places it among the Sites of Cultural Interest with monument status.

The visit has an added attraction, too: the castle, owned by Palma City Council, houses the city's History Museum, so exploring its rooms is also a way of understanding the past of the Balearic capital. Be sure to set aside time for a stroll through the surrounding woodland and, above all, to take in the view from its heights at a leisurely pace and see for yourself that this 'beautiful view' still lives up to its name.