Gran Hotel, Palma de Mallorca

The Gran Hotel of La Palma, Mallorca is a modernist former hotel built in 1903 and designed by Master architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner. Lluis was a pioneering proponent of Catalan Modernisme style architecture. A style made famous by Antoni Gaudi's Cathedral of the Holy Family in Barcelona.

The Gran Hotel is a perfect example of modernisme, showing a facade lushly adorned in a Arte Nouveau way with sculptures and ornate ceramic elements. The hotel was the forerunner of luxury hotels in Mallorca and was judged to be the most sumptuous hotel in Spain.

The hotel closed in 1941 and was reborn as the home of the National Institute of Social Security. Since 1993 It has been turned into a cultural center of the Caixa Foundation. The foundation, a creation of Caixa Bank of Spain, underwrites art and cultural activities throughout the country and abroad.

The hotel is today a venue for exhibitions, concerts and conferences. It also houses a permanent pictorial collection of the works of Anglada Camarasa and an oceanic exhibit. Not to be ignored is a comfortable, quiet cafe and book store.