Palma 100 Years Ago: A Photo Journey Through Familiar Corners

Photo Gallery: Palma in the Rearview Mirror

I scrolled through these old photos this morning, coffee in hand, and had to pause for a moment. Not because the pictures are perfect, but because they show Palma so raw and honest, how it looked before tourist crowds, sidewalk cafes, and e-scooters rearranged everything.

Familiar Places, Unfamiliar Calm

The photos depict places we all know: Passeig del Born, the steps in front of the cathedral, the small fountain of Tortuga by Bar Bosch. Only: instead of people in bikinis or jogging pants you see women in long skirts, farmers with baskets, and a few horse carts. No cars—the sound that today constantly rounds the corner is completely absent. I imagine what it smelled like at eight-thirty in the morning: freshly baked bread, the sea, and perhaps a hint of olive oil from a nearby inner courtyard.

Especially the images from the viewing platform in front of the cathedral grabbed me. The buildings still stand, many facades have been restored, but the atmosphere is different. In some shots street corners look almost empty; in others, traders with simple stalls bustle about. There is no filter for what was everyday back then—and that is exactly what makes it appealing.

How Digital Communities Guard the Memory

Such collections often end up on Instagram or in Facebook groups today: a few local accounts regularly share historical motifs, and the comments are as fascinating as the photos themselves. Older users add street names, younger ones ask about the exact location. You can tell: the island loves to remember.

I read in the comments how an elderly woman spoke about her grandfather who worked at the Plaça. Another user sent a photo of the identical house, taken in 1985. The interplay of image, memory, and conversation brings the series to life — almost as if you were sitting on a park bench with someone, listening.

Why This Matters

Such photo series are not a romantic dwelling on the past. They help reveal connections: what remained, what vanished? For tourists the pictures are often surprising; for locals they are a piece of identity. And for me personally they are an invitation to look more closely on my next walk through the old town — at details that would otherwise be overlooked.

So next time you stroll along the Born, try to see the city with the eyes of a hundred years ago: slower, louder in the voices, and much denser in the stories behind every door.

Tags: Photo series, Nostalgia, Palma, History, Photos