Església de Santa Eulàlia (Church of Santa Eulalia), Palma de Mallorca

Built right after the 1229 Catalan conquest of Mallorca, the Església de Santa Eulàlia is the oldest church in Palma and a fabulous piece of Gothic architecture. This soaring Roman Catholic temple was raised on top of a Muslim mosque; in 1236 it already appeared in the paborde of Tarragona as a parish.

The temple is dedicated to Eulalia, the patron-saint of Barcelona – a thirteen-year old girl who was tortured and later beheaded by the Romans. It bears a great deal of historic importance for the island, as it was here that the first meeting of the General Grand Council of Mallorca was held, and is where Jaume II, aka James the Just, was crowned as king of Majorca on September 12, 1276.

Later, the church underwent several modifications to include the rosace and the carving of Saint Eulalia above the entrance, the work of Guillem Ferrer. The 50 meter-high bell tower was added in the 19th century.

In 1893, Joan Sureda i Veri restored the main façade, giving it a more modern, Neo-Gothic look. Another façade restoration took place in 2011, after a severe storm damaged the building. The tympanum paintings include the Annunciation, on the east side (facing Saint Christ Street), and the Epiphany, on the west side (facing Saint Eulalia Street).

Inside, the main altar stands out in its Baroque style, the work of the Dominican friar, Albert de Burgunyó, as well as the seven chapels in the ambulatory, namely: of Sant Crist de la Conquesta, Santa Catalina, Sant Lluís, and of the Mercy of Christ.

The church is free to visit, while the belfry charges admission fee for a chance to enjoy the magnificent view of the surrounding historic quarter, with the sights easily identifiable with the help of a diagrammed guide.