Cathedral La Seu, Palma

The Cathedral La Seu in Palma de Mallorca is one of the largest and most technically ambitious Gothic cathedrals in the world, dominating the seafront skyline with soaring flying buttresses and a main nave that reaches 44 meters — one of the tallest Gothic naves ever built. Construction began in 1229 under King James I following the Christian reconquest and continued over three centuries, resulting in a harmonious late Gothic masterwork of golden sandstone. The interior is defined by extraordinary light: the famous rose window above the portal measures 11.3 meters in diameter and comprises 1,236 pieces of colored glass, casting ethereal golden illumination across the nave on winter mornings. Between 1904 and 1914, Antoni Gaudí undertook a renovation of the interior, adding an unconventional wrought-iron canopy of metal lamps above the main altar — one of very few examples of Gaudí's work outside Catalonia. Visitors encounter three distinct architectural narratives: the medieval Gothic structure, Gaudí's modernist intervention, and a 21st-century chapel by Mallorcan artist Miquel Barceló with extraordinary polychrome ceramic murals. The Chapter Museum at the entrance contains medieval relics, Gothic altarpieces, and royal tomb sculptures. From the terrace of the adjacent Parc de la Mar, the cathedral's reflection in the artificial lake creates the most iconic view in Palma. A typical visit takes 1.5 to 2 hours including the museum. The cathedral is busiest midday in July and August; morning visits on weekdays offer a calmer experience with better light for photography.