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. The two main tourist areas are Porto Cristo, home of the famous Caves of Drach, and Calas de Mallorca. Manacor has one of the busiest street markets on the island held every Monday morning. Manacor is famous for furniture manufacture and artificial pearls.
History
The first indications of human occupation in the municipality of Manacor go back to 2000-1200 BC. Of this period are the artificial coves as burial places (cova de s'Homonet at Son Ribot, Mitjà de ses Beies at Sa Sínia Nova, etc.), and a type a constructions similar to the naveta, either isolated or grouped in villages, used as living spaces (sa Marineta, s'Hospitalet Vell, etc.)
Of the Talayotic Culture, the most outstanding constructions are s'Hospitalet Vell, es Boc, Bellver, as well as the constructions of Bendrís, Son Sureda and Sa Gruta.
The numerous submarine discoveries of objects found in Porto Cristo, where there was a Roman port, show that it was an ambit quite frecuented. The rest of the basilicas of sa Carrotja i son Peretó prove the existence of well consolidated Christian communities.
The origin of the town of Manacor goes back to the times before the Islamic dominance.
After the invasion launched by James I, Nuño Sánchez was the recipient of the land of Manacor.
In the year 1300, James II granted Manacor the statute of municipality. The Torre del Palau and the fortification of some rural houses like the Torre de ses Puntes and the Torre dels Enagistes have been preserved of the beginnings of town plannig. From de medieval time, Manacor was important in the social conflicts with an outstanding character : Simó Tort.
Saint Vincent Ferrer came to Manacor in 1414. In the year 1576 was founded the convent dedicated to the saint and after this the construction of the baroque church began. At the beginning of the following century the construction of the cloister began.
In 1879 the railroad line from Inca to Manacor was opened.
About 1890 the construction of the new parish church Nostra Senyora dels Dolors began, located on the same place as the former churches. The most ancient of them had been documented in 1232 and had possibly been built upon an arab mosque. The belfry measures 75 m. and it is an emblematic element of the town.
In 1897 the first factory of artificial pearls, the famous Majorica, was founded. So Manacor became the business and industrial centre of Llevant. From 1912 on Manacor has got the title of town.
In 1936, during the Spanish civil war, there was a disembarkation of Republicans forces in the coasts of Porto Cristo that were rejected by the Nationalists.
Geography
The relief is not very pronounced. It takes in three different areas:
- The Pla, the area where there is town of Manacor, is characterised by its plain.
- The Serra de Llevant, characterised by its soft relief.
- The Marina, which is formed by white gritty stone and inclines down to the sea. These calcareous grounds and atmospheric agents have favoured the appearance of numerous caves. The most outstanding for their singular beauty are the caves of Drach and the caves of Hams.
A wide range of coves embellishes the coast of Manacor: Cala Moreia, Cala Morlanda, Cala Petita, Porto Cristo, Cala Anguila, Cala Mendia, s'Estany d'en Mas, Cala Falcó, Cala Varques, Cala Sequer, Cala Magraner, Cala Virgili, Cala Bota, Cala Antena, Cala Domingos and Cala Murada.
The climate is typically Mediterranean. The average annual temperature is in between 16º - 17º C.
The forest area represents little more than 20 %. The pine grove is developed in the mountainous area and there are hardly any holm-oak woods.
The cultivated land represents 74 % of the area. The agricultural landscape is very fixed by the presence of almond trees, cereals and fig trees, and on a smaller way, locust and vineyard. The cultivation of vegetable is focused on melon, pepper and lettuce.
Demographics
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Economy
Until the 19th century the economy of Manacor was based on agriculture (cereals and vineyard) and livestock (sheep), although the textile and food sectors as well as pottery were quite important too.
The 19th century marked the beginning of the transformation that turned the town into what it is nowadays. The industrial activities dedicated to the elaboration of agricultural product increased, windmills and a liquor distillery appeared. From the second half of the century on the production of furniture became one of the basic economies of Manacor. Pottery and the elaboration of liquors and wines also continued.
From the 60s, the tourism was added to the development of the economic activity of the municipality.
Construction is an important sector, as well as the commerce.
Manacor is one of the municipalities more economically diversified of Mallorca.
Culture
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Natives of Manacor
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