Can Forteza Rey and L'Àguila

In front of you are two of Palma's most photographed Modernista buildings, side by side. They recall a time, at the start of the 20th century, when the city looked to Barcelona for inspiration.

1Can Forteza Rey

The narrower, more colourful house was built around 1907-1909 for the Forteza-Rey family, who were linked to the goldsmith's trade. Tradition credits the design to Lluís Forteza-Rey, a jeweller associated with Modernisme, although recent studies point to his father as the promoter. It went up while Gaudí was working on the cathedral, and the influence is obvious: broken-tile mosaics, the famous trencadís, undulating shapes, flowers, animals and, on the first floor, a grimacing face flanked by two dragons.

2L'Àguila and «s'Arquitecte»

The building next door, the former L'Àguila department store, dates from 1909 and bears the signature of Gaspar Bennàssar with Jaume Alenyà. Bennàssar, nicknamed «s'Arquitecte», was municipal architect from 1901 and led the demolition of the city walls from 1902: he is regarded as the creator of modern Palma.

One night in June 1910, with two hundred workers, he turned a bare esplanade in front of Sa Llotja into a promenade with lamps and benches. Residents found it there at dawn: it was the Passeig Sagrera.

He also drew up the first design for the Mercat de l'Olivar, which opened in 1951.

3What to look for

• The face with dragons, on the first floor of Can Forteza Rey.
• The colourful trencadís on the façade.
• The iron-and-glass windows of L'Àguila.