The small and charming square of Placa Cort, located in the heart of the Palma city, is famous for the ancient olive tree (“Olivera de Cort”) that stands in the centre. The square is named “Cort” because it was here where the feudal court gathered. The town hall dominates the placa, built between 1649 and 1680 by local architects Pere Bauca, Miquel Oliver and Bartomeu Calafat, its facade has been decorated with Mannerist and Baroque style features.
The centre of Placa Cort is where the famous “Olivera de Cort” is located. This six hundred-year-old tree was transported to Palma from the Pedruixella Petit estate in Pollenca in 1989 as a symbol of peace. The olive tree is 7 metres high and very popular among visitors who attempt to find faces on its trunk, including an ear, the “Orella de Mallorca”. Despite being transplanted the tree (Olea europaea var. Europaea) still produces fruit every year and is nearly always surrounded by tourists taking snapshots. It’s now known as the Cort Olive – Cort is the Catalan word for Court, as the city court or council, sat in square in olden times – and is protected by law.
There are a few bars and cafes around the square, with terraces spreading across Placa Cort, as well as an ice cream parlour, Giovanni’s.
