Pol·lèntia, meaning ¿power¿, was founded by Quintus Caecilius Metellus in the year 123 AD on top of an ancient Talayotic or Bronze Age village. It started off as a small hamlet but, from the imperial era, large mansions and public buildings grew up; at about this time, the settlement reached an area of twelve hectares.

Its position could not be more ideal: in the north of Mallorca and a short distance from a port which managed to divert the heavy traffic with the Italic peninsula and the Spanish coast .The name Alcúdia, where it is located, derives from the Arabic toponym meaning hill.

According to documents speaking of a light in Pol·lèntia, it must have been in this period that the island¿s first lighthouse was built. Although its exact placement is not known, it is known that the lighthouse was built on the side facing Rome.

In the 3rd Century, a far-reaching economic and political crisis in the Empire meant the limitation of Pol·lèntia¿s perimeter as well as the construction of a wall.

With the fall of the roman empire the village disappeared

From this moment on began its demise, later aggravated by the constant invasions of the Vandals in the 5th Century. After the fall of the empire it disappeared as a settlement but continued to shelter occasional inhabitants until the Moorish era.

Excavation work in Pol·lèntia began around 1920 and continues to this day. The part that is open to the public includes a small fragment of the wall, the ruins of three mansions and a street with an arcade. The area can be accessed via Sa Portella.

Also worth a mention is its Roman theatre, the only still preserved in the Balearic Islands. It was built in the 1st Century and had a seating capacity of almost two thousand persons. Today a portion of the tiers and the stage can still be appreciated.

An interesting complement to the visit is a trip to the Museu Monogràfic de Pol·lèntia, (Monographic Museum of Pol·lèntia) where valuable pieces found during the excavation works are on display.

Access to Pol·lèntia is gained via Sa Portella, a neighbourhood situated in the far northwest of Alcúdia.
Timetable
Summer: tuesday to saturday 9.20 - 20.30
monday and holidays closed

Museu Monogràfic de Pol·lèntia: Sant Jaume, 30. Tel. +34 971 547 004.