Bellver Castle

Soaring above the pine-forested hills west of Palma, Bellver Castle commands the skyline of Mallorca’s capital with its extraordinary circular silhouette. King Jaume II of Mallorca built the fortress between 1300 and 1311 as both a royal residence and a defensive stronghold. Architect Pere Salvà created a structure unique among Spanish castles because it is entirely round. Today the castle serves as Palma’s City History Museum while offering visitors panoramic views across the Mediterranean.

Location of Bellver Castle

Bellver Castle sits 3 kilometres from the centre of Palma at 112.6 metres above sea level. A lush pine forest surrounds the castle and provides the only significant green space within the city limits. Visitors can reach the site by taking tourist bus number 50 to the Castell de Bellver stop. The castle sits on Carrer Camilo José Cela in Palma’s western district. Those arriving by car will find dedicated parking near the visitor reception centre. The area surrounding the castle offers several hiking trails with panoramic views of the city, the sea and the Tramuntana mountain range.

History of Bellver Castle

King James II of Mallorca ordered construction in the year 1300. Pere Salvà, the architect of the Almudaina Palace, designed the fortress. Building finished in 1310. James II set up his court there after completion, though his successors did not continue the practice. The king chose a circular plan for both aesthetic and defensive reasons. Three large towers surround a central courtyard, connected by an arch to a free standing keep. The courtyard has two levels: the ground floor with semicircular arches and flat roof, the upper level with Gothic arches and rib-vaulting.

In its early years, the castle served as the residence of the royal family and an administrative centre. Then during the 14th and early 15th centuries, Bellver became a place of refuge during internal conflicts and wars of succession. The castle has fallen only once into enemy hands, in 1521 after an assault during the Majorcan Revolt of the Brotherhoods. From the end of the 14th century it functioned as a prison. It held several important supporters of the Habsburg pretendants to the Spanish Throne during the 19th century. Later it confined notable republican and Catalanist leaders during the 20th century.

Jaume III’s widow and sons spent most of their lives imprisoned here. The top terrace still shows traces of graffiti that prisoners made during the Peninsular War against the French from 1808 to 1814. In the 19th century it became a mint. In 1931, authorities declared it a historic-artistic monument.

Current status

The castle became a museum in 1932. Restoration work in 1976 transformed it into the city’s History Museum. Palma City Council owns Bellver Castle. The museum offers a tour through Palma’s history and urban evolution from the Bronze Age to the present. It traces the development of the city through artefacts, with pottery from Talaiotic, Roman, Arab and Spanish periods. The castle also houses the Despuig Classical Sculpture Collection.

On the second floor there is a chapel. The magnificent and well-preserved courtyard serves as the venue for various cultural events throughout the year. Summer evenings bring concert series featuring jazz, sacred music and piano performances within the circular courtyard. The castle opens Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 6pm, with reduced hours on Sundays and holidays. Mondays see the castle closed to visitors. Admission requires a paid ticket purchased at the reception centre in the parking area.

The castle rises from its wooded hill like a crown of golden stone. From the rooftop terrace, all of Palma spreads below—the Gothic cathedral, the harbour, the glittering bay—while the Tramuntana mountains rise in the distance. Seven centuries after King Jaume II first gazed upon this view, Bellver continues to draw visitors. They climb the ancient stone stairs, walk the ramparts, and discover why the name means “beautiful view” in Catalan.