Did you know that Cova de na Pilarica is more than just a cave? It is a window into Mallorca’s hidden geological and historical depths. This cave is located on the slopes of Coll de Cans. It lies near La Cantera de Son Quint. The cave is part of the Serra de na Burguesa mountains.
Cova de na Pilarica has large dimensions and three entrances. One entrance is like a sinkhole. The upper entrance seems natural. The lower entrance looks like a mine entrance. It might have been a natural entrance before mining started. The sinkhole entrance was likely opened to let in natural light. For a short time, Cova de na Pilarica was open to the public.
Let us venture inside through the upper entrance. It faces 56 degrees northeast. The entrance is about 3 meters wide and 2.5 meters high. We will enter through a small vestibule. On the left, you will see many columns. From a balcony-like spot, we can see the next cave room. It is several meters below. We will climb down carefully on the right.
In this second room, you might feel overwhelmed. Speleothems cover the walls. You’ll want to take photos. The room is about 30 meters long and 20 meters wide. The floor is uneven with large stones. This room is striking. It makes you wonder what else the cave holds.
We continue our tour to the right heading east. Here we discover a huge room. It might be over 50 meters long and at least 30 meters wide. This space lacks many formations. Yet it impresses with a chaotic array of blocks. One enormous block stands out. Some call this the Caverna des Caos. We will move along the left side. We look for the best way through the rocks. We arrive at a high point. From here, sunlight enters through an artificial rectangular opening in the ceiling. It measures about 4×3.5 meters.
From this spot, we can go back to the right. We look for a room with a unique column. This column seems formed by smaller columns joined together. From here, we start toward the sala de ses Rates Pinyades. Getting to this room is tricky. It is a bit like a maze. The path involves tight spaces. It’s easy to get temporarily lost. Many bats live in this room. The floor is covered in droppings.
Returning from the sala de ses Rates Pinyades, we go slightly left. We descend toward the lower entrance. It is a chamber of 5 by 8 meters. To reach it, we pass an eleven-meter trench. Then, we go through a nine-meter mine gallery. From here, we have several options.
We can exit the cave through the gallery. We can explore the galeria minera del Pilar. It starts from the vestibule. We can descend stairs next to a stalagmite. This leads to small corners. We can enter a hidden mining world. If we exit, we can visit the galeria de sa Trinxera. It is just 30 meters east.
The lower entrance faces 74 degrees east-northeast. It looks like a mine gallery. It is 1.62 meters wide and 2 meters high. Today, it looks like a typical mine gallery. But it might have been a natural entrance modified later.
The galeria des Pilar starts from the vestibule. It faces 85 degrees east. It stretches 56 meters with an artificial stone ceiling. It ends at an artificial rectangular shaft of about 14 meters. This shaft leads to a lower gallery. The gallery is blocked at the shaft. Be careful not to fall.
Stairs allow us to descend and visit small corners. The stairs start near an old column. This column seems to have given the cave its name. But today, it is not a pillar. It is also not a column. It is separated from the ceiling.
We can enter the sala de ses Galeries inferiors. Here, we discover an interesting mining complex. We can see minerals that were extracted here until the mid-20th century.
Near the cave exit, we find a trench. It is 45 meters long. It gives the galeria de sa Trinxera its name. We see the gallery entrance. Many meters above, there is another entrance. It was likely built earlier. It can only be accessed by rope.
Other smaller caves are part of the coves des Pilar complex. They are on the cliff below the lower entrance of Cova del Pilar. Some require vertical progression equipment. The coves del Pilar are considered of scientific and technical interest. They are of anthropological, ethnographical, biological, economic, and social value. As you leave Cova de na Pilarica, consider the blend of natural wonder and human history. This unique site offers insights into Mallorca’s multifaceted story.