Sights in Son Servera

Son Servera lies in the east of Mallorca in the Llevant region, nestled in a small valley surrounded by low mountains. The town spreads out at the foot of the 271-metre-high Puig de sa Font and is connected to the neighbouring municipalities of Sant Llorenç des Cardassar to the south, Artà to the northwest and Capdepera to the northeast by roads MA-4030 and MA-4040. On the east coast, the municipality has a share of the Badia de Son Servera, which includes the well-known beaches of Cala Bona and Cala Millor.

The town is first mentioned in writing in the 13th century, but its roots go back to prehistoric times, as finds such as the Talaiot de Pula demonstrate. In the 19th century, the town was hit by a severe plague epidemic that claimed more than half the population; a monument commemorates this. During the Spanish Civil War, Son Servera was heavily damaged by fighting between Republican and Francoist troops, yet the town survived the siege.

The two churches are defining features: the Baroque parish church of Sant Joan Bautista and the unfinished Església Nova, a work by Gaudí’s pupil Joan Rubió i Bellver, which today serves as an open-air stage for concerts and cultural events. Annual festivals include the “Festival of the Sun” around the summer solstice and a maritime procession in honour of the town’s patron saint. The town’s name probably derives from the knight Jaume Cervera, though the spelling with an “S” became established, inspired by the once abundant spirea apples.