Raixa Gardens, Bunyola - Majorca
Duration: 2 hours 15 min.
Directions: Carretera Ma11 Palma-Sóller.
Visiting Hours: Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 to 14:00
Price: free
The house and gardens of Raixa have Arabian origins. With the abundance of water and the fertility of territories of this privileged place, the Moors founded the Araixa farmhouse here during their time in Majorca, from where the present name of the property comes.
Under the Arab domination, art, architecture and economy bloomed for 300 years in the area. The gardens of Raixa and Alfabia, with their ingenious systems of irrigation, are a clear example.
Raixa is closely associated with Majorcan born Antoni Despuig i Cotoner , a cardinal of the Ecclesiastical Court of the Vatican. In 1797 this supreme judge gave the present form to the palace and its garden, centering his efforts in turning the medieval Arab property into an Italian town, still it is impossible not to recognize the origin of the garden of Raixa.
The main house served as a space to place the works of art brought from Italy at the end of the 18th century. These masterpieces can now be admired in the permanent exhibition at the Castillo Bellver in Palma de Mallorca.
In January 2002 the property of Raixa, that has the qualification of Property of Cultural Interest in Mallorca (BIC), was bought by the Consell of Majorca and the Ministry of Environment of the Spanish Government, with the aim of appointing it to public uses.
In the last decades, Raixa has been the scene of diverse cinematographic productions like "Death Under the Sun", based on the novel of Agatha Christie; "Bearn", based on the novel of Llorenç Villalonga; and "Presence of Mind" (El Celo), the first movie of the Majorcan Antoni Aloy with Lauren Bacall and Sadie Frost. This singular place has also inspired diverse advertising campaigns and it has given its name to one of the music records of Maria del Mar Bonet.
At the moment the Raixa gardens is open to the public showing all the enchantment and romanticism of the exteriors of the palace, inner patio, chapel, gardens, staircase and great pool.
Comments
Visited today and could find
Visited today and could find no enchantment or romanticism in the restored house... there is a feeling that a huge amount of money has been made available and the work done by council architects rather than true conservators of heritage buildings.
The ugly exterior lighting breaking the historical integrity of the old avenues and paths is a warning of the terrible visual vandalism inside where walls that should breathe with history have been boringly plastered over, ugly modern false ceilings, floors, and lighting that is sometimes institutional / functional or tastelessly decorative modern versions of old lamps that just look cheap . The whole place seems to be turning into a dead clinical space where any sense of the past and its spirits have been cruelly destroyed.
All old buildings in danger of deterioration or even collapse can be easily restored these days without losing a centimetre of their historical look by people who are properly trained in this field. The gardens still have a wonderful feeling of mystery and charm, but I notice restoration is only beginning and they will no doubt end up looking like a municipal park or traffic roundabout .What a terrible crime against Majorcas disappearing heritage and a wasted chance to counteract the terrible mess nearby that is La Granja.
Both places should be avoided by any visitors with taste and a real interest in history. They should go instead to the magical villa and gardens of Alfabia where with the minimum of intrusion and restoration, a place of immense beauty and fragility sums up magical atmospheres of a forgotten world. Too much council money can be a death sentence for an old building and Raixa is now dead ....
It is quite true that
It is quite true that sometimes heritage is not properly maintained, particularly when trying to modernise areas with such history as Raicha. I think it is still worth a visit to enjoy the mystery of the gardens and some of the architectural history of Arabian Majorca, especially taking into account that access to the gardens and house is free.
Also worth knowing is that Raixa only opens Saturday and Sunday mornings. I agree that is worth visiting the Gardens of Alfabia that are open Monday to Saturday, but they charge a fee to enjoy them. Have a look at their website to get a 10% discount! (www.jardinesdealfabia.com)
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