Son Marroig - Salvator“s adoptive home
In the summer of 1867, Ludwig Salvator came from Ibiza to the Majorcan coast. It is here that he began his
extensive collection and systematisation of the flora and fauna of the Balearic Islands. In so doing, he produced
the multi-volume monumental work "The Balearic Islands" which still paints a reliable and detailed picture of those times.
In the course of thirty years, the archduke had gradually purchased Majorcan land and finally owned a complete stretch of coast between the villages Valldemossa and Deią. Here, no tree was to be cut down, no house to be built and no animal hunted. Not far from Deią, the Son Marroig Manor is located, nowadays a museum dedicated to Salvator“s legacy. Many tourists also visit to enjoy the view or to set out for a hike to the rock Foradada. In fact, modern tourists are not much different from those of Salvator“s time. Already then, Ludwig Salvator had build the Hospederia "Ca Madó Pilla", a guesthouse offering three days of free lodging for adventurers who wanted to explore the coast. Moreover, he set up a road network spanning about 12 kilometres up to the mountains of the Sierra del Teix where the beauty of the coastline and the sunset can be admired. As early as in the 19th century, Salvator thus combined the preservation of nature with sustainable tourism and consequently became a role model for modern days“ attempts to offer an alternative to mass tourism.
In the course of thirty years, the archduke had gradually purchased Majorcan land and finally owned a complete stretch of coast between the villages Valldemossa and Deią. Here, no tree was to be cut down, no house to be built and no animal hunted. Not far from Deią, the Son Marroig Manor is located, nowadays a museum dedicated to Salvator“s legacy. Many tourists also visit to enjoy the view or to set out for a hike to the rock Foradada. In fact, modern tourists are not much different from those of Salvator“s time. Already then, Ludwig Salvator had build the Hospederia "Ca Madó Pilla", a guesthouse offering three days of free lodging for adventurers who wanted to explore the coast. Moreover, he set up a road network spanning about 12 kilometres up to the mountains of the Sierra del Teix where the beauty of the coastline and the sunset can be admired. As early as in the 19th century, Salvator thus combined the preservation of nature with sustainable tourism and consequently became a role model for modern days“ attempts to offer an alternative to mass tourism.
Son Marroig
Ludwig Salvator - The man who discovered Majorca Son Marroig - Salvator“s adoptive home The Salvator museum
