Passeig del Born

You are on the Born, Palma's drawing room. This is where people stroll, meet up and watch the world go by; but centuries ago a torrent ran beneath your feet, splitting the city in two.

1The bed of sa Riera

The sa Riera torrent crossed Palma from north to south and reached the sea beside the royal palace. In 1403 a devastating flood swept away whole neighbourhoods and caused great loss of life. After centuries of plans, in 1613 the torrent was diverted outside the city walls and the old riverbed was freed.

2Jousts, strolls and palaces

The name Born recalls the jousts and tournaments once held here; in the 16th century it also hosted parades and public festivities. Its present appearance owes much to the 1833 remodelling, which turned it into a promenade with benches, trees and the four sphinxes at its ends.

Noble families built their houses along both sides. Casal Solleric, an 18th-century palace with an elegant courtyard, is now a municipal exhibition space. Further up, the former Cine Born, built in 1931 to a design by Gaspar Bennàssar, is now a shop.

If the Born feels like an outdoor living room, that is because it was designed to be exactly that.

3What to look for

• The sphinxes at the ends of the promenade.
• Casal Solleric and its courtyard, visible from the entrance.
• The plane trees, which in summer turn the promenade into a tunnel of shade.