Roman legacy lives on at Mallorca heritage site

ONE of Mallorca’s most spectacular heritage sites will be renovated after more than seven years of delay. The Castell d’Alaro water cisterns in Puig will be properly restored after an archaeological team makes a full assessment of what needs to be done.

The network of five covered cisterns is a hugely important hydraulic feature on the island, but it is the site’s renowned architecture and long history that draws the most visitors. 

The complex is based around the only rock castle in Mallorca, which is 822 metres high and was built well over 1,000 years ago. 

The site was even fortified by the Romans and later used as a defensive fortress by the Moors. 

With military, civilian and religious elements from vastly different civilisations, the ruins hold an astonishing variety of archaeological gems. The castle management has been waiting on the much-needed repairs since 2010, but has been constantly thwarted by postponements.