The ‘Palacio de la Almudaina’ was rebuilt in the 13th century by King James II in the Gothic style as it is now. ‘Almudaina’ means fortress in Arabic and the location was already used by the Romans and Arabs for its strategic location to build an Alcazar; a Moorish castle. The Palace is surrounded by the strong outer walls to protect it from the sea and the king’s enemies. Its imposing structure stands next to the Cathedral watching over the Bay of Palma. Elements of the Arabic structure are still visible if you look closely for them.
Inside of the Palace, you can wander around in one of the many rooms that the Palace has. It can be divided into two parts, on the ground floor the feel and look is from the medieval period. The Second floor is decorated with pieces from the Royal family from the 17th, 18th and 19th century. The Palace is still an official summer residence of the King and Queen of Spain. It is also the headquarter of the Military command of the Baleares and of course a museum.
The medieval gardens of the Palace ‘S’Hort des Rei’ are a perfect place to enjoy the shade and the sound of the fountains. The garden was redesigned in 1960 by an architect to restore the historical feel. The pair of swans in the pond is a good example of this as it is a copy of the pond in the Alhambra of Granada. This small copied piece of the Alhambra made us very curious about the original, so it is on the list now.
Check out the official website for opening hours and entrance fees click here.
Would you like to read about Mallorca click at this link.
Sincere Traveler 
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