Museu d'Història de la Ciutat

About the museum

Bellver Castle stands about three kilometres from the centre of Palma, on a hill some 112 metres high overlooking the bay. James II of Mallorca ordered its construction between 1300 and 1311 as a palace-fortress and royal residence, and the kings of Mallorca stayed there for short periods. Its plan is perfectly circular, with a circular central courtyard and four large towers; the so-called Main Tower, to the north, is separate from the main body. It is a two-storey Gothic building, with round arches on the ground floor and ribbed vaults on the upper floor.

In 1717 it became a military prison. Between 1802 and 1808 the statesman Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos was held there, and it later housed French soldiers captured at Bailén and Republicans during the Civil War. It was also the scene of the execution of General Lacy in 1817. In 1931 the State handed the building and the woodland over to the City Council of Palma, which installed the City History Museum and the Despuig Collection of classical sculpture in it.

The museum presents the urban evolution of Palma on the ground floor. On the first floor is the Despuig Collection, assembled in Rome by Cardinal Antoni Despuig (1745–1813), a Mallorcan patron and man of the Enlightenment, and acquired by the City Council in 1923. One room is dedicated to Jovellanos, the castle's most famous prisoner. The complex also hosts cultural activities organised by the City Council.

Highlights

• 14th-century Gothic castle with a circular plan
• Despuig Collection of classical sculpture
• Room dedicated to Jovellanos, who was imprisoned in the castle
• City History Museum: the urban evolution of Palma
• Views over Palma bay from the Bellver hill

Permanent exhibitions

• Museo de Historia de la Ciudad: evolución urbana de Palma – A tour of the history of the city of Palma, with pieces from the Roman period to 17th-century ceramics.
• Colección Despuig – Classical sculpture and inscribed pieces gathered by Cardinal Antoni Despuig in Rome, displayed on the first floor of the castle.
• Sala Jovellanos – Room dedicated to Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos, an Enlightenment politician imprisoned in the castle between 1802 and 1808.

Operated by

Ayuntamiento de Palma

Admission & discounts

Free admission: Sundays.

Accredited teaching staff and ICOM members also enter free. No discount or free admission applies without supporting documentation. Tickets are sold at the Visitor Reception Centre, in the castle car park area.

Accessibility

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

From Plaza Gomila you can walk up via Calle Bellver and a flight of 463 steps (about 20 minutes); from Calle Joan Miró, 16, via Calle de Camilo José Cela and the road (about 30 minutes). Taxi rank at the start of Calle de Camilo José Cela.

Amenities & dining

• Café

Café in the Visitor Reception Centre (car park area), with a terrace and views over the Bellver woods, Génova and La Bonanova.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent

The castle offers its spaces for hire.

Plan your visit