Building with marés: the stone that shaped Mallorca
If there is one material that defines Mallorca’s urban and architectural landscape, it is marés. For centuries, this sandstone quarried from the island’s quarries has been used to build houses, walls, churches and palaces. Much of Mallorca’s historical heritage would be inconceivable without this material, the quarrying of which has also left its mark on the coastline.
Marés, a very abundant material in the Balearic Islands
Marés is a type of stone formed from marine sand that was compressed during the Quaternary period. It is therefore a type of sandstone.
The entire coastline from Coll d’En Rabassa to Santanyí, as well as certain areas in the municipalities of Llucmajor, Porreres and Muro, are sources of marés of varying qualities.
Marés and the coast
If you have ever visited the south coast of Mallorca, you may have been struck by the whimsical shapes of the rocks in some places. Have they been cut by a giant’s knife?
It certainly looks that way, because those straight lines and square shapes are not what nature or the sea usually sculpts. It is fascinating to look at these rocks and imagine how they might have been cut to extract material for building.
And how was the marés transported from the coast?
The marés quarried along the coast was loaded onto barges and transported by sea to its destination. In this way, Palma Cathedral was built using marés from the easternmost part of the Bay of Palma (Pedreres de la Seu), on the other side of Cape Regana.
A large number of workers from the Llucmajor area took part in this work, spending weeks camped there and living in very harsh conditions.
Characteristics of marés
Its ease of working has made it the most widely used natural material in the construction of all types of buildings in the Balearic Islands.
The quality of marés is determined by the coarseness of its grain, its density, its colour and its hardness. Lower-quality marés, known as ‘common marés’, is used to build walls that subsequently require plastering. The highest-quality marés is used for exposed walls, and is employed to construct arches, cornices and decorative elements.
Marés is generally a breathable material that allows moisture to pass through, making it ideal for homes in Mallorca during the summer. This very characteristic, however, becomes a drawback in winter, when the humidity so typical of the Balearic Islands combines with low temperatures.
It is easy to spot in buildings, particularly in villages, on unplastered party walls. But you can also see it in all kinds of old buildings, including mansions, churches and even the walls that once protected the city of Palma.
The Marés Craftsmen
The ancient trade of MARES CUTTER referred to the workers responsible for selecting and cutting marés using rudimentary tools which, since the trade became mechanised, have now fallen into disuse. This traditional technique was passed down from father to son, and given its difficulty, it was better paid than other trades.
Marés Quarries
Currently there are 16 marés quarries (locally called pedreres de marés) active in Mallorca: one in Campos, six in Felanitx, four in Llucmajor, one in Manacor, one in Muro, one in Petra, one in Santa Margalida and one in Santanyí.
In Menorca there are still three active quarries, and it is estimated that in less than five years they will be exhausted. They are the Alcafar Nou quarry, the S’Hostal en Lithica quarry and the Son Salord quarry.
These are open-air quarries, in which the quarries are deepened and selected according to quality.
The days of the construction with marés are numbered due to the exhaustion of the quarries.
Marés quarries
There are currently around 16 active marés quarries (known locally as ‘pedreres de marés’) in Mallorca: one in Campos, six in Felanitx, four in Llucmajor, one in Manacor, one in Muro, one in Petra, one in Santa Margalida and one in Santanyí.
In Menorca, there are three active quarries, and it is estimated that they will be exhausted in a few years. These are the quarries at Alcafar Nou, S’Hostal in Lithica, and Son Salord.
These are open-cast quarries, where the excavation goes deeper and the stone is selected according to quality.
Iconic buildings constructed from marés
You probably know that marés is a type of sandstone, formed by the compression of marine sand during the Quaternary period. But what you may not have realised is that this marine sand was originally formed by the decomposition of marine animal shells.
So, in fact, Palma Cathedral is built from the remains of seashells. Don’t you find that fascinating?
Partial view of the Almudaina Palace and the Cathedral of Palma in the background
Are you familiar with La Lonja, Bellver Castle and the Royal Palace of La Almudaina in Palma? And the Palau dels Reis de Mallorca in Perpignan (France)?
Well, all these highly symbolic buildings were also built using marés, and although this type of stone erodes quite easily, they are still standing strong after almost 800 years.
About 90 years ago, pieces of marés were still being sent for the restoration and renovation of Castelnuovo in Naples. This castle had been built during the rule of the Crown of Aragon and, of course, it had been constructed using marés from Mallorca!
Video of the extraction of marés in the traditional way, in Menorca:
Marés is not merely a building stone. It forms part of the landscape, traditional crafts and some of Mallorca’s most iconic monuments. If you’d like to discover one of the greatest works built using this material, we invite you to learn about the history of Palma Cathedral: Cathedral of Palma