Plaça Major
On Gingerguide's self-guided Palma de Mallorca audio tour, Plaça Major is a stop worth about ~20 min. Stand in front of it, press play for a short narrated story, and put any follow-up question to the built-in AI guide.
- Type square
- Suggested visit ~20 min
- Palma de Mallorca Palma de Mallorca guide
About Plaça Major
A rectangular arcaded square in the heart of the old town, built on the site of the former Inquisition seat, now a pedestrian stage for cafes, market stalls and street performers.
The Placa Major is one of the main squares of Palma, a rectangular space ringed by an arcade and rising to buildings of three and four floors painted in warm ochre. It stands on the site of the former convent of Sant Felip Neri, which until 1823 had been the seat of the Inquisition; after the buildings were cleared, work on the first wing of the square began about ten years later and was finished in 1838. The project ran on well into the 20th century, and a car park and shopping galleries were later dug beneath it.
The square lies just steps from the church of Sant Miquel and the Teatre Principal, with lanes leading off toward Placa d'Espanya and the Rambla. A plaque records that the house of the Mallorcan thinker Ramon Llull once stood near here, on a street lost when the square was built. Today it is a pedestrian space busy with cafes under the arcades, an occasional craft market and street performers, and it is used for civic gatherings.
Did you know? The square was built on the cleared site of the convent of Sant Felip Neri, which until 1823 had served as the local seat of the Spanish Inquisition.
How much time do you need at Plaça Major?
Around ~20 min works well for Plaça Major — time to look properly and listen to its story on the spot. Linger if you like; nothing on a self-guided walk is on a clock.
Should you stop at Plaça Major?
Yes — Plaça Major made the cut as one of 13 places the Gingerguide team researched and narrated across Palma de Mallorca. The story tells you why it is worth the stop, and the AI guide fills in anything you still wonder.
Nearby stops in Palma de Mallorca
Sources and further reading
Where to check the facts about Plaça Major and read more:
Day 1 of the Palma de Mallorca in 2 days itinerary →
Updated:
Hear the story of Plaça Major
Preview the Palma de Mallorca tour free in the Gingerguide app.