The monasteries of Mallorca – Santuario de Sant Salvador, Artá

The most emblematic building of Artá

Visible from afar and the most emblematic building in Artá is the “Santuario de Sant Salvador” on the Puig de Sant Salvador (182 m above sea level), from which you can enjoy a sensational view over the town of Artá and large parts of the island as far as the sea. After a strenuous climb, you can recover with a good Mallorcan meal in the restaurant belonging to the monastery complex. The mountain and its surroundings are said to have been inhabited as early as the 2nd century. During the Moorish period, the buildings served as a fortress and a mosque, although originally a Christian chapel is said to have stood there. This was probably the reason why, after the reconquest of Mallorca in 1229, the mosque was converted and rededicated into a Christian church a few years later.

The “Holy Mary of Sant Salvador”

The church houses the Madonna statue of “Saint Mary of Sant Salvador”, considered the patron saint of Artá. The wooden statue is said to be one of the oldest wood carvings in Mallorca. According to old records, it was brought to Mallorca in the 12th century by Premonstratensian monks who accompanied King Jaime I in the reconquest of Mallorca in 1229. At first, the statue was housed in the Monasterio de Bellpuig, near Artá, and then in the 15th century it was brought to the Santuario de Sant Salvador pilgrimage monastery. We also recommend a visit to the small parish church with murals by the artist Salvador Torres and the adjoining museum.