Mallorca History and Culture

Mallorca shares with its neighbours a relationship with all the seafaring peoples of the ancient Mediterranean. It is an island with a long and interesting history. Due to its strategic geographical location, in the middle of the western Mediterranean, the island has been inhabited since the earliest of times. A number of settlers and invaders took control and made their mark on the island, consequently leaving a diverse mix of their styles and influences, which are still very present in Mallorcan culture today.

Much of the Mallorca we know today has been heavily influenced by history. The word Balearic is believed to have come from the Greek word ballein, meaning throw, as the Balearic islanders were famed for their skills with stone, especially their deadly use of the slingshot. The first place used as settlements, dating back to 4000 BC, were the large number of natural caves, which can still be found around the Mallorcan coastline.

Throughout the different occupations the Catalan language has never been lost and still remains the official and most commonly used language in the Balearic Islands.

Architecture within Mallorca is a faithful reflection of the evolution, growth or decline of its past or current inhabitants.  There are some incredible examples of this throughout the island.  In Mallorca the houses and monuments enable you to “read” history. You can see the passing and settlement of people and their culture within them. In visits to the prehistoric excavations or simply in strolls around the village streets you can see how people lived and survived.