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Zuda
The palace was an Arab fortress before it was a royal home
The Almudaina was originally an Arab fortress, known at the time of the conquest as the Zuda. When King James II of Majorca took the kingdom, a programme launched in 1298 reformed the city's appearance. Rebuilding the alcázar into a royal palace started in 1305, with the work carried out between 1309 and 1314.
A kingdom's seat
It was the seat of the Majorcan kingdom until 1349
The monarchs of the Kingdom of Majorca, the Aragonese monarchs and the Spanish monarchs successively held court here. The palace was the seat of the prosperous Majorcan kingdom of the 14th century, until it passed to the Crown of Aragon under Peter IV in 1349.
Two floors
The ground floor is medieval and the upper floor was added by Charles V
The current structure corresponds to the one built in the 14th century, with the palaces of the King and of the Queen, the chapel of Saint Anne and the baths among the most outstanding spaces. During the first half of the 16th century the upper floor was built by order of Charles V.
Today
It is still the king's official summer residence
Like the Royal Palace of Madrid, the Royal Palace of La Almudaina is one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family, and the official summer residence of the King. The upper floor is used for official acts of the royal family.
Day 1, morning
It comes after Palma Cathedral. Then Palma old town.
More stories from this trip idea
The words are a retelling of the Wikipedia article Royal Palace of La Almudaina, and are shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. They are checked against those articles, and a fact that is not in them is left out.