Manacor

The first signs of human presence date from 2000-1200 BC. This period is significant as there are artificial caves made as burial grounds like Cova s'Homonet Son of Ribot, Mitja de ses Beies Sa Sinia Nova and others. There are also grouped buildings in the villages used as dwellings sa Marineta, s'Hospitalet Vell and others. Examples of the construction are found at de l'Hospitalet Vell, Bosc, Bellver, Bandrís, Son Sureda and Sa Gruta.

The marine exploration in Porto Cristo found materials linking the area to Roman settlements. The remains of the basilicas of sa Carrotja and Christian communities are Pereto and Son Carrio, and the origin of the city of Manacor is probably of pre-Islamic.

In 1300 James II granted the status of ‘town” to Manacor town, and many early developments are preserved like the Torre del Palau fortification and some of the houses like the Torre de ses points and the Torre dels Enagistes. In medieval times Manacor was involved in social conflicts over ownership with a prominent character Simo Tort.

An important development was the foundation of the convent of San Vicente Ferrer by the Order of Preachers in the year 1576, with the construction of the baroque church and the birth of the neighbourhood Fartaritx where the wind mills create a unique landscape for the town. Early in the following century the cloister was built with the sale in 1835 to the state and the units allocated to the courts.

In 1879 the railway line Inca opened in Manacor and in 1902 the first factory of artificial pearls started making it the commercial and industrial centre of the Majorcan Llevant.

In the late nineteenth century the new church of Nostra Senyora dels Dolors was built over the ruins of the previous religious building possibly the oldest mosque built in the area.

The population growth of the town is proportional to the island and the growth started at around 5,000 in the sixteenth century increasing to 7,000 in the eighteenth century and expanding in the nineteenth century to around 13,000 people.

From 1920 onwards there was a sharp increase to around 19 000 where it has remained stable till today. The current increase is considered to be related to the development of the tourism sector.

The population is distributed in clusters 71% in the town of Manacor, 19% in Porto Cristo and the rest is divided between S'Illot, Cales de Mallorca , Son Macia, Cala Murada, Cala Anguila and Cala Mandia.

Climate
The climate is typically Mediterranean warm and the interior is mountainous with dry to semi arid areas and the average annual temperature is 16 ° - 17 ° C.

Manacor is a town in the Balearic Islands of Spain and the second largest town on the island of Mallorca, situated to the east, bordering Felanitx, Villafranca de Bonany, Petra, and San Lorenzo de Cardessar.

It has an area of 260 km2 and over 30 000 inhabitants and home to people like Rafael Nadal Parera a great tennis player with number one world ranking, Elena Gomez a world champion gymnast, Miguel Angel Nadal a member of the Dream Team Barcelona Football Club team Spanish captain.

Vegetation

The forest area accounts for just over 20% with acebuche and palmetto bush extending along the Marina, with species such as the steppe joana Hypericum balearicum, the lentiscus, hay fenum, rosemary ros marinus and the heather. The pine forest is located in the mountainous area and along the coast are samphire and gorse while in marine beaches cardoon has almost disappeared and tamarind and canebrake are in the more humid zones.

Popular Culture
Cala Mandia
Inside the caves of Hams in the town of Manacor, Manacor has attempted to preserve as much of the culture of their ancestors through efforts of various people.

The Ritual dance of uncertain origin related to the Moretons whose dress resembles that of the Berber pirates and predominant colours yellow and red. They have the symbol of a crescent on their turbans and make music with percussive mallets.

The Dance consists of six men and one woman and is performed in May and June at fairs and festivals of spring.

Sant Antoni
Plaza de Mora
On the eve of January 17 there are bonfires in the streets of the village and people sing and dance while "llangonisses and botifarrons" sausages typical of the island cuisine are grilled.

The show is about Sant Antoni and the devil, who represents the temptations to which the saint is subject accompanied by musicians in fancy costumes who dance till the early hours of the morning.

The next day the "Beneïdes," is held with a parade of floats and animals which are blessed by a priest. San Antonio Abad is the patron saint of animals and farmers.