When King Jaume I conquered Mallorca in the name of Christianity in 1229, he did not forget his promise to God during a rough sea crossing, to erect a cathedral if he should survive the journey. The site he chose was none other than the Arab mosque which stood on a hill and could be seen far out to sea. It was yet another declaration that Christianity had conquered Islam. Unfortunately for Jaume, he never saw it’s completion as it wasn’t finished until 1601. Today it stands tall and proud in golden sandstone on the horizon of the Bay of Palma. You could be mistaken for thinking it was the largest cathedral in the world, it looks bigger than it is because it stands on it’s own above the city and is not dwarfed by surrounding buildings. Until the 1960s the Mediterranean sea reached up to city walls providing the perfect reflection and making it the only Cathedral in the world whose reflection could be seen in the sea. When the building of a new road meant the sea was pushed further away, it was decided to build an artificial lake so that once again La Seu could see it’s reflection in the water.
.jpg "‘La Vida Mallorquina’ is a celebration of the Mallorcan people and their culture. Each page displays a creative collection of thoughts and photos journeying through the beautiful landscape and life of the Spanish island.")
Vancouver
Taken in Vancouver July 2009. I like the complexity of these reflections and the fact that the reflections make this plain building fascinating to look at.