Algaida
Encyclopedia
Algaida is a municipality on the Spanish
Balearic
island of Majorca. It has an area of 89.70 km² with 4,528 inhabitants (as of 2005).
to Manacor
. The municipality encompasses six small mountains, the highest and most famous of which is Puig de Randa
at 543 m. Rainfall can occur all year round. The driest months is July with an average rainfall of 12.5 l/m². The heaviest rainfall in a single 24-hour period was on 17 September 1943 at 97 l/m².
Algaida was first recorded in the year 1232. The most well-known of these communities is Randa, which contains the mesa
Puig de Randa, on which there are located three secluded monasteries.
from the 15th century, built like a swallow's nest on a promontory. On the second level stands the Santuario de Sant Honorat from the 14th century. Finally, at the top of the mountain stands the Santuario Nuestra Señora de Cura, which since 1275 has been the Franciscan
hermitage of Ramon Llull
, Majorca's greatest religious philosopher and scholar, born to Catalonia
n parents in 1232 in Palma. Puig de Randa also houses the Ramon Llull Museum and a school.
Points of interest in Algaida town include Punxuat, Albenya, the pilgrimage chapel of Mare de Déu de la Pau de Catellitx and several windmills. The town also contains Gordiola, the oldest glass blower's in Majorca, located just outside Algaida in the direction of Palma. In the factory of the Gordiola family, one can observe the glass-blowers making various pieces of art.
Sights in Randa include the parish church of the Immaculada and Ramon Llull, the cross of Randa, the cross of Sant Honorat, the Randa springs, the Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de Cura and the panoramic views from the Randa mesa.
Pina is home to the parish church of Sants Cosme i Damià, the convent and a well. On the main road to Manacor there stands a promotional black bull of the Andalusia
n sherry
-distiller Osborne, the only one on Majorca. The bull, perceived by advocates of Majorcan independence as a symbol of foreign dominance, has sustained several attacks and each time been rebuilt. The bull is now protected throughout Spain as a "National Cultural Icon".
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
Balearic
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands are an archipelago of Spain in the western Mediterranean Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula.The four largest islands are: Majorca, Minorca, Ibiza and Formentera. The archipelago forms an autonomous community and a province of Spain with Palma as the capital...
island of Majorca. It has an area of 89.70 km² with 4,528 inhabitants (as of 2005).
Geography
The municipality of Algaida is located in the south-east of the island of Majorca, 22 km along the main highway from PalmaPalma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
to Manacor
Manacor
Manacor is a town and municipality on the Mediterranean island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. It is one of the biggest municipalities in Majorca. It has tourist areas like Porto Cristo, site of the famous Caves of Drach, and Calas de Mallorca. Manacor...
. The municipality encompasses six small mountains, the highest and most famous of which is Puig de Randa
Puig de Randa
Puig de Randa is a mountain in the island of Majorca, Balearic Islands, Spain. It is included in the municipal territory of Algaida, and, on its top, is home to the Sanctuary of Cura....
at 543 m. Rainfall can occur all year round. The driest months is July with an average rainfall of 12.5 l/m². The heaviest rainfall in a single 24-hour period was on 17 September 1943 at 97 l/m².
History
The name Algaida stems from the Arabic word al-gaida (meaning "the Wood"). The municipality comprises Algaida, Pina and Randa.Algaida was first recorded in the year 1232. The most well-known of these communities is Randa, which contains the mesa
Mesa
A mesa or table mountain is an elevated area of land with a flat top and sides that are usually steep cliffs. It takes its name from its characteristic table-top shape....
Puig de Randa, on which there are located three secluded monasteries.
Demographics
The population spread is a follows. Figures are accurate as of 1 January 2005 and do not include isolated communities (and thus do not comprise the total number of inhabitants of Algaida).- Algaida (2,423 inhabitants)
- Pina (391 inhabitants)
- Randa (62 inhabitants)
Main sights
Sanctuarys in the Puig de Randa include, on a lower level, the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Gracia, a hermitageHermitage (religious retreat)
Although today's meaning is usually a place where a hermit lives in seclusion from the world, hermitage was more commonly used to mean a settlement where a person or a group of people lived religiously, in seclusion.-Western Christian Tradition:...
from the 15th century, built like a swallow's nest on a promontory. On the second level stands the Santuario de Sant Honorat from the 14th century. Finally, at the top of the mountain stands the Santuario Nuestra Señora de Cura, which since 1275 has been the Franciscan
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
hermitage of Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull
Ramon Llull was a Majorcan writer and philosopher, logician and tertiary Franciscan. He wrote the first major work of Catalan literature. Recently-surfaced manuscripts show him to have anticipated by several centuries prominent work on elections theory...
, Majorca's greatest religious philosopher and scholar, born to Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
n parents in 1232 in Palma. Puig de Randa also houses the Ramon Llull Museum and a school.
Points of interest in Algaida town include Punxuat, Albenya, the pilgrimage chapel of Mare de Déu de la Pau de Catellitx and several windmills. The town also contains Gordiola, the oldest glass blower's in Majorca, located just outside Algaida in the direction of Palma. In the factory of the Gordiola family, one can observe the glass-blowers making various pieces of art.
Sights in Randa include the parish church of the Immaculada and Ramon Llull, the cross of Randa, the cross of Sant Honorat, the Randa springs, the Sanctuary of Mare de Déu de Cura and the panoramic views from the Randa mesa.
Pina is home to the parish church of Sants Cosme i Damià, the convent and a well. On the main road to Manacor there stands a promotional black bull of the Andalusia
Andalusia
Andalusia is the most populous and the second largest in area of the autonomous communities of Spain. The Andalusian autonomous community is officially recognised as a nationality of Spain. The territory is divided into eight provinces: Huelva, Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jaén, Granada and...
n sherry
Sherry
Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the town of Jerez , Spain. In Spanish, it is called vino de Jerez....
-distiller Osborne, the only one on Majorca. The bull, perceived by advocates of Majorcan independence as a symbol of foreign dominance, has sustained several attacks and each time been rebuilt. The bull is now protected throughout Spain as a "National Cultural Icon".
External links
- Informació de l'Institut Balear d'Estadística — data information from the Balearic Institute of Statistics.