“What secrets do these ancient walls hold?” I wonder as I stand before the Mare de Déu dels Àngels. The parish church of Mare de Déu dels Àngels was founded in 1236. It marked the point from which Pollença began to grow.
Only four years later, it was handed to the Knights Templar. King Jaime I of Aragon granted them land in northern Mallorca. This recognized their help during the Conquest of Mallorca in 1229.
Pollença began to expand around this church. It eventually became one of the main towns on the island by the end of the thirteenth century. The population concentrated around it little by little. During the Islamic era the population of the area lived scattered.
The Order of the Knights Templar was dissolved in 1312. All its properties were ceded to the Order of the Knights Hospitallers. They were later known as the Order of Malta. The church remained in their hands until 1836.
The only trace of its original appearance is the base of the bell tower. Construction began in 1470. It didn’t reach its current height until 1921.
The building as it stands today was constructed between 1714 and 1790. It is a basilica floor plan church with vaulted side chapels.
Inside, you can see valuable works of art. The Baroque altarpiece on the high altar is dedicated to Mare de Déu dels Àngels. Mallorcan sculptor Joan Pere Obrador created it between 1752 and 1764. There are also fourteen large canvases depicting the Stations of the Cross.
The Knights Templar were the first owners of El Calvario. Today, it hosts one of Mallorca’s most impressive Easter Week celebrations.
El Calvario offers views of Pollença. It is one of the town’s most iconic locations. It has an impressive stairway. It consists of 365 steps, one for each day of the year. Cypress trees and fourteen three-metre-high crosses flank the steps. They evoke Jesus Christ’s ordeal on the way to his crucifixion on Mount Golgotha.
On Good Friday, the Calvario steps are the setting for the ‘Davallament’. This is the Removal from the Cross. It is one of the most important events of Mallorca’s Easter Week celebrations. A valuable carving of Christ is removed from the cross. It is solemnly paraded down the steps to the Church of Virgen de los Ángeles, patron saint of Pollença. The ritual is performed in complete silence. It is lit only by torches carried by members of different brotherhoods.
The church of Mare de Déu dels Àngels has undergone changes over the years. Until the eighteenth century, it was a small building. The entrance faced Calvary, opposite to where it is now.
A church was first raised on this site in Gothic style shortly after the conquest in 1229. It was given a complete makeover in the 18th century. What you see today overlooking the Plaça Major is predominantly baroque. The simple rough-sandstone facade is a superb backdrop to the square.
Illuminated by a rose window, the interior has a barrel-vaulted ceiling. There are extravagant ceiling frescoes. The altarpiece is magnificent.
The Mare de Déu dels Àngels stands as a testament to faith and history. Its walls have witnessed centuries of change. Its art reflects the devotion of generations. Take a moment to appreciate its beauty. Remember its rich and storied past.