Can Ribes de Pina

Can Ribes de Pina is a historic urban palace in Palma de Mallorca, tucked into the dense old-town fabric a short walk from the cathedral. The building blends a medieval core with later Baroque remodeling and has stayed in the hands of one family line for generations.

How do you get there?

Can Ribes de Pina stands in Palma's old town, close to the small square known as Plaça Quadrado. The easiest way to reach this part of the historic centre is on foot from the cathedral of La Seu or from Plaça Cort, following the narrow lanes that make up the old quarter. Palma's centre is compact, so this palace sits within easy walking distance of the city's main landmarks.

What will you see?

The façade hides a layered building history. The original Gothic structure was reworked in the late 17th century, when the house belonged to the Serralta family: around 1687, Miquel Joan Net Serralta gave the building much of the shape it still has today. In 1718 the property was bought by Miquel Ribas de Pina Ferrà, whose surname the palace still carries.

A second major remodeling came in the mid-18th century under Gabriel Ribes de Pina Sanxo, the buyer's son. Around 1754 a porch resting on slender columns and topped with a wooden eave was added, the façade's Gothic windows were sealed off, and the inner courtyard was reworked in Baroque style. That contrast between the hidden medieval bones of the house and its Baroque dressing is the most rewarding thing to look for here, and it's a good illustration of how Mallorcan townhouses evolved as fashion and family fortunes changed.

The Ribes de Pina name is also tied to Gabriel Marià Ribes de Pina, a 19th-century priest who, together with his sister, founded the religious congregation known as the Daughters of Mercy. He gave over part of the family house to the new community, with its own entrance opening onto what is now Plaça Quadrado. That episode is why the building is remembered locally for charitable work as much as for its architecture.

Today the palace remains privately owned by the Oliver Moragues family, descendants of the Ribas de Pina line - a common fate for many similar residences in old Palma, which still serve as private homes rather than museums.

When should you visit?

Since Can Ribes de Pina is a private residence seen mainly from the street, there's no wrong season to pass by. Morning light works best for photographing the façade and its details - the porch's small columns, the sealed Gothic windows, the stonework - before the old-town lanes fill with visitors. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable seasons for exploring Palma's historic centre on foot, with milder temperatures than the height of summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you go inside Can Ribes de Pina? No - the building is privately owned by the Oliver Moragues family, heirs of the Ribas de Pina line, so visits are limited to viewing the façade and courtyard from the street.

Where does the palace's name come from? It comes from Miquel Ribas de Pina Ferrà, who bought the house from the Serralta family in 1718; his descendants kept the property for generations afterward.

What's the most interesting architectural feature? The mix of a Gothic-era core with the Baroque remodeling carried out around 1754, especially the small-columned porch with its wooden eave and the sealed original Gothic windows on the façade.

What is the palace's connection to Plaça Quadrado? The priest Gabriel Marià Ribes de Pina gave part of the family house to the Daughters of Mercy, the congregation he co-founded with his sister, and that section's entrance opens onto Plaça Quadrado.