History of Mallorca in Timeline

Mallorca, also known as Majorca, is the largest of Spain's Balearic Islands and the seventh-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a popular tourist destination known for its beautiful beaches, stunning coastline, and picturesque towns. The island offers diverse landscapes, ranging from the Serra de Tramuntana mountains to fertile plains. Palma de Mallorca is the capital city, featuring historic architecture and a vibrant cultural scene. The island's economy relies heavily on tourism, agriculture, and some light industry.

1920: Publication of poem

In 1920, Jorge Luis Borges published his poem La estrella in the regional magazine Baleares.

1921: Publication of poem

In 1921, Jorge Luis Borges published his poem Catedral in the regional magazine Baleares, showing his admiration for the Cathedral of Palma.

La catedral del mar

Check it on Amazon

1929: Joan Miró married Pilar Juncosa

In 1929, Joan Miró married Pilar Juncosa in Palma.

August 1936: Amphibious Landing

On August 16, 1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Mallorca was subjected to an amphibious landing by Republicans aiming to reclaim the island from the Nationalists. The events became known as the Battle of Majorca.

1946: Robert Graves moved to Mallorca

In 1946, The English writer and poet Robert Graves moved to Mallorca with his family.

1954: Joan Miró settled permanently in Mallorca

In 1954, Joan Miró settled permanently in Mallorca.

1954: Camilo José Cela visits Mallorca

In 1954, Nobel Prize winner Camilo José Cela visited Pollença, Mallorca, and then moved to Palma, where he settled permanently.

1956: Camilo José Cela founded magazine

In 1956, Camilo José Cela founded the magazine Papeles de Son Armadans.

1978: Insular Council of Mallorca Created

In 1978, the specific government institution for the island was created, it is called Insular Council of Mallorca.

1983: Indirect election of councilors

From 1983 to 2007, councilors were indirectly elected from the results of the election to Parliament of the Balearic Islands for the constituency of Mallorca.

1983: Palma Became Capital

In 1983, Palma became the capital of the autonomous region of the Balearic Islands.

1983: Autonomous Region of Spain

In 1983, the Balearic Islands, including Mallorca, became an autonomous region of Spain.

1985: Robert Graves Died

Robert Graves died in 1985 and was buried in the small churchyard on a hill at Deià.

2005: Number of Restaurants

In 2005, there were over 2,400 restaurants on the island of Mallorca according to the Mallorcan Tourist Board.

2006: Andratx Scandal

In 2006, the newspaper El País named "caso Andratx" after illegal building attempts caused a scandal in Port Andratx.

2007: Separate Direct Elections

Since 2007, separate direct elections are held to elect the Council.

2009: Former Mayor Incarcerated

In 2009, the former mayor was incarcerated after being prosecuted for taking bribes to permit illegal house building.

2010: Visitors to Mallorca

In 2010, over 6 million visitors came to Mallorca.

2011: UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2011, The Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

2011: Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival

Since 2011, the Evolution Mallorca International Film Festival has taken place annually every November.

2012: Announcement to end preferential treatment for Catalan

In 2012, the then-governing People's Party announced its intention to end preferential treatment for Catalan in the island's schools to bring parity to the two languages of the island.

2012: Increasing Use of Airport

The use of Palma de Mallorca Airport was increasing every year between 2012 and 2017.

2013: Tourists Visited Mallorca

In 2013, Mallorca was visited by nearly 9.5 million tourists.

May 2015: Policy Dropped

Following a May 2015 election that swept a pro-Catalan party into power, the policy to end preferential treatment for Catalan was dropped.

2017: Palma de Mallorca Airport Passenger Traffic

In 2017, Palma de Mallorca Airport, a popular entry point to the island, served 28 million passengers.

2017: Tourists Visited Mallorca

In 2017, ten million tourists visited the island.

September 2019: Discovery of Bronze Age Sword

In September 2019, archaeologists discovered a 3,200-year-old Bronze Age sword on Mallorca Island at the Talaiot site in Puigpunyent. The sword is expected to be displayed at the Majorca Museum.