History

A home with a place in Mallorca’s cultural history

Villa Calatrava was once the home of Mossèn Antoni Maria Alcover (1862–1932), the Mallorcan priest, linguist and folklorist. His work helped preserve the island’s language and oral traditions, linking this residence to an important chapter in Mallorca’s cultural life.

The house in Sa Calatrava

Set in Palma’s historic Sa Calatrava neighbourhood, the house formed part of the world in which Alcover lived and worked. The surrounding streets, stone façades and nearby cathedral still give this part of the city its distinctive character.

Today, the villa’s original arches, masonry and timber beams retain a visible connection to that earlier setting.

Alcover’s legacy

Alcover initiated the Diccionari català-valencià-balear, later completed by Francesc de Borja Moll and his collaborators. He also collected the Mallorcan folk tales known as the Rondaies Mallorquines. Together, these works preserve a rich record of the language, stories and everyday life of the islands.