The patios of the noble houses in Palma are one of the urban elements most characteristic of the city. While today, their preservation constitutes a historical reference that makes the Mallorcan capital unique within Spain, in their age of splendour they were the very symbol of power and status.
For some, their origin dates back to the Roman villa, but the architectural influence of the Medieval Catalan villa, which arrived in the year 1229 with the Conquest of Mallorca, seems clear.
They all have a similar structure: an access gate, a covered entrance passage between the gate and the patio, the patio itself, a stairway, at the end of which we find the galleries, before entering the intimacy of the house.
In their age of splendour, they were found throughout the city. The demolition of the walls, begun in the 19th Cent., brought about the start of the urban transformation that was to determine their future.
