Church Basílica Sant Francesc

The Franciscans reached Majorca in 1232. After building their first church at the gate of Saint Margaret, they settled in this location, where they built the convent and church in 1281. Centuries later (1835), the Friars Minor were secularised, and in 1906 the Third Order Regular of Saint Francis settled in this location.

The church is a Gothic structure from the late 13^th century and the 14^th century. The original façade was destroyed by lightning in 1580, and the new one was rebuilt in Baroque style during the second half of the 17^th century by Pere Horrach and Francisco de Herrera. The doorjambs of the apse gate have two sculptures: Saint Dominic (left) and Saint Francis (right). The tympanum is formed by an ensemble of Baroque sculptures with impressive movement that is headed by an image of the Immaculate Conception and flanked by Duns Scoto (right) and Ramón Llull (left). The gate is topped by an image of Saint George from 1700. The façade is decorated with a rose window, while the top part (triangular pediment and sun dial) was the result of the refurbishment undertaken by Pere d’Alcàntara Penya (1861).

The church has a basilica floor plan with one nave and side chapels. The chevet has several apses and an ambulatory that was completed during the Baroque refurbishment. The rib vault is from 1384 and replaced the original wooden one.

Within the church, it is important to mention the Gothic choir seats (15^th century) by Macià Bonafé, the Baroque main altarpiece (1739) by Joan d’Aragó and the tomb of Ramón Llull (1487), by sculptor Francesc Sagrera. This tomb has an alabaster sarcophagus with the recumbent figure of the ‘Doctor il·luminat’, plus seven empty unfinished stone niches beneath it that were meant to hold the images of the seven liberal arts.

The cloister is connected to the church. It has a trapezoidal floor plan and is a unique example from the Gothic era. The arches are of pointed and lobe type on slender quatrefoil columns. The coffered ceiling is made in polychrome wood. The oldest gallery (14^th century) is on the north side, while the most modern one (15^th century) is on the south side. The floor is covered in gravestones of noble families that were buried in this building.