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Vernacular architecture in Mallorca

Defence towers and talaies (watchtowers)

At a glance

Network of surveillance towers along the entire coast of Mallorca. They warned of enemy ships—Barbary corsairs above all—and of ships that could bring…

Architecture and engineering
Vernacular architecture in Mallorca
Mallorca 539
Mallorca 539 — Xavier Badia Castellà, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

What is

Network of surveillance towers along the entire coast of Mallorca. They warned of enemy ships—Barbary corsairs above all—and of ships that could bring epidemics. Some are fortified and armed towers; others, simple observation talaies.

##Com works

  • Visual network: each tower sees the neighbor. The notice travels tower by tower to the Almudaina in Palma.
  • Code: smoke by day, fire by night (Joan Binimelis system).
  • Guaites and escorts: the guaites kept watch during the day with their eyes; the escorts, at night with the ear (oars, candles, voices).
  • Architecture: high places with good visibility; Solid stone tower, elevated access (to verify in each case).
  • Coastal possessions with their own tower: Son Marroig, Son Fortesa, Canyamel.

Elements and vocabulary

  • torre, talaia, guaita (daytime surveillance), escort (nighttime), torrer (professional guard)
  • senyal de fum/de foc, corsari, moro (in oral tradition)
  • Order of the Foch del Regne towers (18th century)

History

  • Guards and sentinels documented since the 16th century. XIV; There was already a network of guaites before the towers.
  • In the s. XVI, pirate attacks reach their maximum (Sóller 1542, Valldemossa 1545). Guaita points are fortified and armed.
  • Ideologist: Joan Baptista Binimelis (1539–1616), doctor, historian, astronomer and priest.
  • The guards were also paid by inland towns (Esporles, Puigpunyent, Santa Maria, Algaida...). Conflicts and absenteeism; then, professional torrers.
  • Network completed in the s. XVII. End of corsairism with the French conquest of North Africa (1830s). Occasional use after: smuggling, wars.
  • Banyalbufar had 12 towers in the 16th century. XVI (Encyclopedia).

On veure'n

About twenty on the Tramuntana coast, from Cala en Basset to Albercutx:

  • Torre des Verger (Banyalbufar), incorrectly called Ses Ànimes; sa Turret for the neighbors.
  • Cala en Basset (Andratx), la Trinitat (Valldemossa), la Pedrissa (Deià), Torre Picada (Sóller), Na Seca y Tuent (Escorca), Albercutx (Pollença).
  • Canyamel Tower (Capdepera), possessió tower.

Stat

  • Generic protection of castles by the Decree of 04/22/1949, basis for their consideration as BIC.
  • Recent BIC delimitation files: Torre des Verger (BOIB/BOE 2020), Torre d'en Pau (Palma, 2021).
  • Many in ruins or private; today viewpoints.

Why is it design

A network communication system made with stone, sight and fire. Pre-telegraph information design. Lesson: the network matters more than the node. It is proximity design : each town watches its section.

Avui architecture

No reinterpretation identified.

For the project

  • Atlas: network map with lines of sight between towers.
  • Graphic piece: smoke and fire code as a system of signs.
  • Route through the towers of the Tramuntana with the Consorci.

Frequently asked questions

What is Defence towers and talaies (watchtowers)?

Network of surveillance towers along the entire coast of Mallorca. They warned of enemy ships—Barbary corsairs above all—and of ships that could bring…

Sources

Working text from the Disseny Indígena knowledge base, machine-translated from Spanish.

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