For some years now, swans have been living in the large pond under the Arco de la Drassana, right at the foot of the Almudaina Palace and the Cathedral.
The Arco de la Drassana is an enormous pointed arch, with a width of 18 meters that follows a roman brick design, a technique that was also used by the Arab culture. The exact date is was built is unknown, but some experts suggest the 10th century, during the first period of Muslim rule in Mallorca.
Through the Arco de la Drassana, one gains access to the dock of a small private port that belongs to the Almudaina palace fortress. Some of the elements of this architectural complex date back to talayotic times and are still present in modern day buildings.
You can access the enclosure of the Arco de la Drassana from Avenida Antoni Maura, or look over it while walking along the wall that starts at the Jardines Del Rey (King’s Gardens) and runs parallel to the Parc de la Mar. It is a very interesting site as the sea at one time reached the foot of the walls that surrounded the city of Palma and it offers a clear image of the great naval power of Islamic Mallorca.
