DISCOVER SA POBLA

HISTORY

OF THE TOWN

The first evidence of human presence in our municipality corresponds to the Talayotic period. From this period, we can find small archaeological remains that tell us about the past human activity, such as “Sa Paret des Moros” or the “Cap de Bou de Talapi” (V a.c).

The Roman conquest of the Balearic Islands took place in 123 B.C. by Quintus Caecilius Metellus. In the area of Crestatx, important material remains of amphorae, ceramics and coins have been found. Besides, the word “Crestatx” comes from Latin and means “castra”, “camp” in english. These facts support the idea that the primitive occupation that gave rise to the current term of Sa Pobla began with Crestatx.

1200
YEAR

During the Muslim domination, Sa Pobla was under the dominion of the Inca district. The name given to it in our area was “Huayar-Alfar” or “Huayar-Alfhas”, that is to say, “elms of the field” or “water of the meadow”. The Muslim presence is verifiable, thanks to the presence of remains of waterwheels, fountains and by the numerous toponyms that still exist, such as Talapi, Sa Marjal, el Rafal.

It seems that the Muslim community that occupied the current lands of Sa Pobla did not offer much resistance to the Christian troops commanded by King Jaime I, who conquered Mallorca in 1229. In the “Llibre del Repartiment” (The Book of Distribution) it appears the concession of the lands of the town to the king, who gave some of the farms to the knights of Barcelona who took part in the conquest campaign. It was not until 1300, with the “Ordinacions” of Jaime II, that Sa Pobla was legally founded. A population center was created and interested neighborhoods received land in exchange for a series of conditions. The construction of the initial village was done in the same place it occupies today, so it can be deduced that the primitive nucleus of Crestatx did not grow any more and was definitively displaced by the current location.

The Middle Ages was a period dominated by social conflicts. The most important were the “Revolta Forana” (1450-53) and the “Germanies” (1520-1523). Because of its geographical location and its important agricultural activity, Sa Pobla was one of the scenes of the confrontations between the peasants and the rentier classes of Palma. The following battles, “Batalla de Muro” (30 April 1451), “Batalla des Pujol de Son Sabater” (15 August 1522) and “Batalla de Son Fornari” (3 November 1522) are clear examples of this.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Sa Pobla was marked by strong subsistence crises due to poor harvests and periods of severe drought. It was not until the end of the 19th century that Sa Pobla underwent a strong economic transformation, thanks to important technical improvements which allowed an increase in agricultural production. With the drying up of the Albufera, Sa Pobla became one of the richest areas of the island, thanks to the wealth and productivity of its land. Proof of this fact was the arrival of the railroad in 1878.

Nowadays, agriculture still has an important weight in the economy of the municipality. In fact, Sa Pobla is famous throughout the island for being the largest producer and exporter of potatoes on a national scale to the British market. On the other hand, in recent years, the service sector and holiday tourism have also increased significantly.

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