Pollenca

Description

Pollenca is a town and municipality situated in the far north corner of the island of Majorca, near Cap de Formentor and Alcúdia. It lies about 6 km (4 mi) west of its port, Port de Pollenca. Most houses were built in the 17th and 18th centuries and many streets are very narrow and compact, a leftover from the medieval era. One of the town`s most distinctive features is the 365-step stairway north of the square; this leads up to a chapel on top of the hill known as Calvary. On Good Friday this is the setting for the most dramatic parade of the year. First, on the road winding up the back of the hill, there is an enactment of the Stations of the Cross. This is followed by a mock crucifixion on top of the hill after which the figure of Christ is ceremonially removed from the Cross. There is a sombre, torchlit parading of the body of Christ through the town it is led by hundreds people in cloaks, masks and pointed hats and done in total silence save for the slow beating of a drum. The town also has a 19th-century bridge of Roman-like design that crosses a torrent to the north of town.