Palma de Mallorca

Chief port, commercial centre, and capital of the Balearic Islands, an autonomous community of Spain, situated on a wide bay on the southwest coast of the island of Mallorca, population (2001 est) 346,700. Industries include textiles, shoes, furniture, cement, paper, pottery, glass, and tourism - it is one of Europe's most renowned resorts. Palma was founded as a Roman colony in 276 BC. It has a Gothic cathedral, begun in 1229; the 14th-century Almudaina palace, a former royal residence; and the 13th-century church of St Francis of Assisi, which contains the tomb of the Mallorcan scholar Ramon Llull. During the Spanish civil war (1936-39), Palma was an important naval and air base of the Nationalists.

Features The Gothic cathedral, founded in 1229 after James of Aragón captured the city from the Moors, was completed only in the 17th century. Nearby is the Castillo de la Almudaina (a castle that had once been Moorish palace), and the 15th-century Lonja, or Exchange. There are several ancient churches, notably that of San Francesco (13th century). A printing office in Palma, founded in 1578 by Jaime Guasp, is still in operation here.