Mallorca, Spain (356 images)

Mallorca (Majorca) is the major island of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain.

Mallorca was the birthplace of the Apostle of California and founder of the first 9 of California's Missions, Father Junipero Serra who was born in the Es Pla village of Petra in 1713.

Once away from the capital, Palma de Mallorca, there are many small towns and villages throughout the island and major resorts areas on its coast.

The...
more »

Mallorca (Majorca) is the major island of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea off the eastern coast of Spain.

Mallorca was the birthplace of the Apostle of California and founder of the first 9 of California's Missions, Father Junipero Serra who was born in the Es Pla village of Petra in 1713.

Once away from the capital, Palma de Mallorca, there are many small towns and villages throughout the island and major resorts areas on its coast.

The northwestern portion of the island has the Serra de Tramuntana and the east coast lies the Serra de Llevant. Between is Es Pla. Many of the towns are built on hills surrounded by farms and scatter through the island are more craggy peaks, many with monasteries at their summits.

These photos are a glimpse of a week-long journey to the island in the late summer of 2012 to photograph the town of Petra where Miquel Josep Serra was born in 1713, was raised who in 1730 became Padre Junipero Serra becoming a monk of the Franciscan order.

In 1749 at the age of 36, Padre Serra left for Mexico and after his transfer to the Sierra Gorda north of Mexico City, founded five missions there. In 1769, he arrived at San Diego, California, and founded the first of nine missions in Northern California. He died at San Carlos Borromeo Mission in 1784.
« less