Escorca

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Escorca municipality
coat of arms Map of Spain
Escorca coat of arms
Escorca (Spain)
Finland road sign 311 (1994-2020) .svg
Basic data
Autonomous Community : Balearic Islands
Island: Mallorca
Comarca : Serra de Tramuntana
Coordinates 39 ° 49 ′  N , 2 ° 52 ′  E Coordinates: 39 ° 49 ′  N , 2 ° 52 ′  E
Height : 479  msnm
Area : 139.33 km²
Residents : 212 (Jan. 1, 2019)
Population density : 1.52 inhabitants / km²
Postal code : 07315
Municipality number  ( INE ): 07019
Nearest airport : Palma ( Son Sant Joan / Palma de Mallorca , 32 km )
administration
Official language : Catalan , Castilian
Mayor : Antoni Solivellas ( PP )
Website : www.ajescorca.net
Location of the municipality
Mallorca
Location of the municipality of Escorca

Escorca is a municipality on the Spanish Balearic island of Mallorca in the region ( comarca ) Serra de Tramuntana . It is the only municipality in Mallorca that has no actual town center. The only things that are reminiscent of an inhabited area are the buildings around the large square in Lluc and the small town of Sa Calobra .

The municipality of Escorca has 212 inhabitants (as of January 1, 2019) on an area of ​​139.33 km². This corresponds to 2 inhabitants per km². In 2006 the proportion of foreigners was 3.3% (10 people), the proportion of German residents was 0.3% (1 person). The official languages ​​are Catalan and Spanish (Castilian). The spoken on the island Catalan dialect is Mallorquí called.

geography

Geographical location

Escorca is located on the northwest coast of Mallorca in the mountains of the Serra de Tramuntana , about 47 kilometers north of the island's capital Palma . The MA-10 road from Sóller to Pollença, opened at the end of July 1961, runs through the municipality . At Lluc, the MA-2130 road branches off towards Inca . However, Escorca is known for the approximately 14 kilometers long serpentine road MA-2141, which overcomes an altitude difference of about 800 meters from the MA-10 down to the coast at Sa Calobra .

The municipality owns a portion of the northwest coast of Mallorca from Punta de Cala Roja to Es Musclos de ses Cordes . This stretch of coast is characterized by steep rock faces with spectacular coves in which torrents lead the often heavy rains from the mountains into the sea.

Neighboring communities

In the southwest, the municipalities of Fornalutx , Sóller and Bunyola border the municipality of Escorca. Like the municipality of Pollença to the northeast and Escorca itself, they belong to the Serra de Tramuntana region . To the southeast, the Raiguer region borders the Escorca area with the municipalities of Alaró , Mancor de la Vall , Selva and Campanet .

Community structure

The municipality of Escorca includes Sa Calobra - Cala Tuent, Escorca and Lluc. The inhabitants of these places call themselves in the Mallorcan native language "calobrí", "tuenter" and "lluquer" (the female "calobrina", "tuentera" and "lluquera").

The population figures in brackets are from January 1, 2007. The data for Escorca include the “scattered” population. (Source: INE )

Natural space and cultural landscape

Escorca rocky coast

Escorca occupies the central part of the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range , a landscape asset of the highest value. In the large number of calcareous properties, the rainwater has formed extensive "plowshares", with rocks, the furrows of which result in bizarre shapes. The torrents have hollowed out deep water pipes, such as the Torrent de Pareis , sa Fosca , Torrent de Lluc or the Torrent des Guix al Salt de la Bella Dona . In this area there are also spectacular caves such as the Cova de sa Campana or the Cova de ses Bruixes as well as other underground formations.

Panorama of Escorca near Lluc
Cúber and Gorg Blau reservoirs at Puig Major

Fauna and flora are significant in this area, partly due to the large number of holm oaks . The plants that are rooted on the summit of the Tramuntana Mountains are of particular botanical importance. There are small yew forests and huge lawns that cover the valleys, as well as the thicket on the slopes.

Rural life is based on the operation of the large estates with the large mansions such as Binifaldó, Albarca, ses Tosses, Mortitx, Turixant or Mossa, some of which even have an observation tower that was formerly used for surveillance. Other art treasures of this municipality are the snow houses , which can be found in large numbers near the peaks, and the watchtowers that protect the coastal area, such as na Seca , Morro de Tuent , sa Calobra and Torre de Lluc .

The "spiritual architecture" is represented by the church of Sant Pere d´Escorca and the chapel of Sant Llorenç de Tuent . The Lluc Monastery complex is particularly outstanding .

In the municipality are the highest mountains of Mallorca:

climate

The mean precipitation in this area is 1,200–1,300 liters per square meter on an annual average, with the most precipitation falling in October at approx. 145 liters per square meter. The rainiest time is in July with only about 13 liters. In the winter months, snow also falls at high altitudes.

Average monthly temperatures and rainfall for Lluc
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Temperature ( ° C ) 6.2 7.4 9.1 10.3 13.6 20.3 21.7 20.4 18.1 15.2 11.9 9.6 O 13.7
Precipitation ( mm ) 164.2 23.3 209.7 277.5 190.4 31.8 198.2 213.8 58.5 129.8 259.7 91.2 Σ 1,848.1
T
e
m
p
e
r
a
t
u
r
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
N
i
e
d
e
r
s
c
h
l
a
g 		164.2
23.3
209.7
277.5
190.4
31.8
198.2
213.8
58.5
129.8
259.7
91.2
  Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Source: Dades d'interès / Important dates , leaflet of the Consell de Mallorca, Departament d'Economia i Turisme

history

  • The origin of the place name Escorca is said to be from the primitive Roman word "skulka", d. i.e., "place of watch".
Black Madonna
  • Story of the Black Madonna. After the Reconquista , when the Christians under Jaume I had recaptured Mallorca, an Arab couple lost their court in the mountains of the Tramuntana to the new rulers. In order to survive, they switched to the Christian faith and had their children baptized. Little Lukas (Mallorqui: Lluc) was responsible for the goats and sheep as a shepherd. One day Lluc noticed a strange glow in the undergrowth of the Massis. Curiously, he stalked up and discovered a small figure of Mary. He was amazed because the figure was the same dark skin color as him. He excitedly took the Madonna to the parish priest of the Sant Pere church in Escorca. When the news of the Tramuntana wind spread the next day, all the believers came to see the miracle. But she was gone. On the same day, Lluc found the figure in the same place as before. He brought her back again, the priest put the black Madonna back in the bay window, only to find out again the next day that she had disappeared again. The game was repeated very often until a thought occurred to the priest: The black Madonna wanted to stay where Lluc had discovered her. A chapel was built on the site in honor of the Madonna of the Minorities. Today's place of pilgrimage, the hermitage of Nostra Senyora de Lluc , was built in 1260 with the laying of the foundation stone and is now managed by monks of the Sacred Heart.
  • The name Templer - order of the poor knights of Christ - played a large role in the history of the community. Under Jaume I, this order was involved in the Christian invasion of the island of Mallorca in 1229. As a thank you for the successful conquest, the Templars received 525 horses and more than 359 town houses and mansions as well as the considerable estates in Escorca, Montuïri and Pollença , where they established themselves and now occupy a position that is at least comparable to that of a current local government.
Number of inhabitants
(source: INE )
year 1842 1877 1887 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1981 1991 2001 2011
Residents 219 217 250 296 319 277 292 286 359 280 150 182 210 257 284

Culture and sights

Museums

  • Museum Museu de Lluc : with finds from the caves in the Escorca area (Prehistòria), ceramics, drawings, paintings, etc.

Buildings

Santuari de Lluc
  • Santuari de Lluc , sanctuary and pilgrimage site from the 13th century
  • Mansions Binifaldó, Albarca, Ses Tosses, Mortitx, Turixant and Mossa

Natural monuments

hikes

Location of the Tossals Verds mountain hut

The Escorca area is an ideal starting point for numerous mountain hikes.

The Tossals Verds Refuge , owned by the Consell de Mallorca, is designed to facilitate hiking in all its modalities and to promote educational and exploration activities in the mountains. The hut, located in the heart of the Serra de Tramuntana 540 meters high on the GR 221 long-distance hiking trail , is available to everyone for a small fee. From there you can explore the snow houses of the Tramuntana mountains.

Festivals

  • Sant Pere on June 29th
  • Sant Llorenç on August 10th
  • Concert Coral (choir concert) on the second Sunday of July
  • Diada de Lluc on the second Sunday of September

Economy and Infrastructure

education

Part of the population of the municipality of Escorca has no education (approx. 42 people). Approx. 72 people have elementary school education and about 43 people have a secondary school leaving certificate. Around 7 people have various degrees of vocational training. There are around 13 people with a high school degree in the Escorca region and around 6 with an intermediate university degree. About 8 people hold a higher academic title.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Cifras oficiales de población resultantes de la revisión del Padrón municipal a 1 de enero . Population statistics from the Instituto Nacional de Estadística (population update).
  2. ↑ A street celebrates its birthday . In: MallorcaHEUTE . No. 8/2011 . MallorcaHEUTE, MallorcaNOW SL, Santa Eulària des Riu August 2011, p. 32 .

Web links

Commons : Municipality of Escorca  - Collection of images, videos and audio files