Pollença

Pollença (Balearic Catalan: [poˈʎɛnsə]; Spanish: Pollensa) is a town and municipality situated in the northern part of the island of Majorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. It lies inland, about 6 km (4 mi) west of its port, Port de Pollença.

This article is about the modern town in Majorca. For the Roman town, see Pollentia (Majorca). For the town in Italy, see Pollentia.
Pollença

Municipality
Flag
Coat of arms
Pollença
Location in Majorca
Pollença
Pollença (Balearic Islands)
Pollença
Pollença (Spain)
Coordinates: 39°52′38″N 3°0′59″E
CountrySpain
Autonomous communityBalearic Islands
ProvinceBalearic Islands
ComarcaSierra de Tramontana
Judicial districtInca
Government
 • MayorMiquel Àngel March (Junts Avançam; 2015)
Area
 • Total151.65 km2 (58.55 sq mi)
Elevation
47 m (154 ft)
Population
 (2018)[1]
 • Total16,189
 • Density110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Postal code
07460
The 365 Calvari steps

History

The name "Pollença" comes from the name of the Roman settlement of "Pollentia," the excavated remains of which lie several kilometers away, at the modern municipality of Alcúdia. It was founded by the Catalans in the 13th century some 6 km (4 mi) from the coast in an effort to avoid pirate attacks.

Main sights

Most houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and many streets are very narrow and compact, a legacy 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.

One of the town's most distinctive features is the 365-step stairway north of the square; this leads up to a chapel on top of the hill known as Calvary. 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 a reenactment 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 parading of the body of Christ through the town led by hundreds of people in cloaks, masks and pointed hats and done in total silence save for the slow beating of a drum.

The town also has a 19th-century bridge of Romanesque design that crosses a stream to the north of town.

Most visited sights in Pollença town: Plaça Mayor, Plaça Vella, Can Llobera, Convent, Joan March Gardens, Calvari and Roman Bridge.

Beaches
  • Cala Figuera
  • Cala Murta
  • Cala Formentor
  • Cala Sant Vicenç (Cala Molins, Cala Barques, Cala Clara and Cala Carbó)
  • Cala Boquer
  • Puerto Pollença Beach
  • Llenaire Beach
  • Can Cuarassa Beach
  • Cala Figuera.
  • View from the top of the 365 Calvari Steps
  • At the top of the 365 Calvari Steps is this church
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References
  1. Municipal Register of Spain 2018. National Statistics Institute.


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