How to visit and what to see in Bellver Castle (Palma): schedules, prices

While the Seu cathedral It is the main monument that you should visit in your sightseeing trip to Palma, In Majorca island, there are other monuments that should also be an essential stop on your travel agenda.

I mean the bellver castle, a curious fortification with a circular plan that forms an important part of the history of the Mallorcan capital.

This castle is not located in the historic center of the city, but about three kilometers from it, about 100 meters high on the side of a mountain with spectacular panoramic views of the city and bay.

Apart from its undoubted historical interest, precisely being able to enjoy these views is the main reason why you cannot miss this visit.

And in fact, as a curiosity you should know that his name bellver It is a word that comes from ancient Catalan and means “beautiful views”, referring to those beautiful views that span from the Sierra de Tramontana to the city and its port.

Curiosities about the history of Bellver Castle

Los origins of Bellver castle They date back to the 14th century, when it was ordered to be built by the King James II of Majorca with the double purpose of becoming a defensive building, and also a Royal residence.

It is a fortification of Majorcan Gothic style and it's about the only circular castle in Spain, one of the four preserved in Europe, and the oldest with these characteristics.

Throughout its history, Bellver Castle was known as a royal residence and the place where the main authorities of the island stayed for many years.

But this fortification has also been used as a prison.

Specifically, from the War of succession (1700-1715), the fortification became the main political and military prison of the island, and illustrious prisoners were held within its walls, such as the intellectual Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, the astronomer and politician François Aragó or the liberal general Luis Lacy.

In times of Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), the castle became the place of imprisonment for more than 800 republican prisoners.

Another curious fact is that for the castle construction was used tides, a kind of sandstone easy to work very common in Balearic islands.

Other buildings of the historical heritage of the city of Palma have also been built with this type of stone, such as the La Seu Cathedral, the market or old walls.

What to see when visiting Bellver Castle

When you enter the interior of this Gothic-style fortification, you will see that it is a perfectly circular building that is organized around a central courtyard that is also circular.

It has four large towers oriented towards the four cardinal points, of which the tower of tribute It is located separately from the rest of the complex, while the rest of the towers are embedded in the main body.

In addition to visiting the different rooms and rooms that are distributed on the two floors, a highlight of the visit is going up to the large circular terrace of the building, from where you have the aforementioned panoramic views of Palma and its surroundings.

Museum of the History of the City of Palma

It should be noted that during your visit of Bellver castle you will be able to know the City History Museum, with a tour of the historical evolution of Palma, from the settlements talayotic until the 123th century, passing through the Roman conquest in XNUMX BC and the founding of the current urban center.

Also noteworthy in the history of palm the Muslim period from 903, the Catalan conquest in 1229, the establishment of the Kingdom of Mallorca (1276-1349), the construction of the Renaissance walls of Palma and their demolition in 1903.

Bellver Castle visit schedules

Los Bellver Castle visiting hours in the city ​​of palm They are, from April to September, from Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 19 p.m., and on Sundays and holidays, from 10 a.m. to 15 p.m., with Mondays closed to visitors.

In the rest of the year, from Tuesday to Saturday the visits end at 18 p.m., and the hours on Sundays and holidays are also from 10 a.m. to 15 p.m.

Bellver Castle ticket prices

Los ticket prices to visit Bellver Castle The general one is 4 euros, and the reduced one is 2 euros.

On Sundays all audiences can visit Bellver castle for free, and the other days of the week, those under 14 years of age.

Map: how to get to Bellver Castle in Palma

To get to Bellver Castle by public transport from the center of Palma, you have the options of Bus 3, 20 and 46, although from the different stops where they can drop you off you will have to walk uphill for between 20 and 30 minutes.

More comfortable, without a doubt, is the option of Palma tourist bus in Mallorca, which will take you up to the parking lot at the foot of the castle.