Modernism arose in Europe during the final decade of the nineteenth century as a reaction to the Classicism of the previous centuries.

It  prevailed across all art forms (painting, sculpture, applied arts…), which sought to reassess the role of the artist in the face of the dehumanisation brought on by the industrial revolution. Palma got its own Modernist legacy from Catalan architects. To this day, there remain worthy examples of an architecture that has been able to stand the test of time. One of the more spectacular examples is the Gran Hotel building, in Weyler Square. Built by the architect Lluis Domènech y Muntaner, it is one of Palma’s first Modernist buildings.

The Casa Forteza Rey, on Colón Street, dates from 1910 and its originality can be seen not only in its façade and Modernist details, ut also in the iconography of the fi gures on it: monstrous images portraying the head of a serpent dragon and a human-like face.

Can Casasayas, in the Market Square, is a registered Asset of Cultural Interest. The interior refurbishment of the Cathedral, as egun by Gaudí, is another example of Palma’s Modernism, which boasts around 40 examples in total. The Modernist movement lost momentum with the First World War, but its pieces remain as testament to one of the most expressive and original periods of artistic creation.