Pollença

This article is about the town in Majorca. For the town in Italy, see Pollentia.

Pollença
Municipality
250px
Flag of Pollença Flag Coat of arms of Pollença Coat of arms
Pollença Location in Spain
Coordinates:
Country	Spain
Autonomous community	Balearic Islands
Province	Balearic Islands
Comarca	Sierra de Tramontana
Judicial district	Inca
Government
• Mayor	Joan Cardà Rull
Area
• Total	151.65 km2 (58.55 sq mi)
Elevation	47 m (154 ft)
Population (2013)
• Total	16,200
• Density	110/km2 (280/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code	07460

The 365 Calvari steps

Pollença (Catalan pronunciation: [poˈʎɛnsə]) is a town and municipality situated in the far north corner of the island of Majorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. It lies about 6 km (4 mi) west of its port, Port de Pollença.

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.

File:CalaFiguera.jpg

Cala Figuera.

Main sights

Most houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and many streets are very narrow and compact, a leftover 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 an enactment 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 it is led by hundreds 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 Roman-like design that crosses a torrent to the north of town.

Beaches

• Cala Figuera
• Cala Murta
• Cala Formentor

External links

• Video in English "Pollença, charming town", 5:52 min., Mallorca TV Teleweb+
• Video of El Pi de Ternelles (January, 17th)
• SOM POLLENÇA, tourist municipality
• video of El Pino event(The Pine)
• The Roman City of Pollentia
• Pollensa and Puerto Pollensa
• Pollensa Town
• Accommodation in and around Pollensa