Naveta d'Alemany

The Naveta d'Alemany is a prehistoric dwelling complex from the Middle Bronze Age, located on a small rise in the municipality of Calvià on Mallorca. The structure was discovered in the late 1960s during road construction near Magaluf and is named after the landowner at the time, the pharmacist Luis Alemany, who financed the first excavations. It is a typical example of the so-called Naviform phase, a cultural period that lasted on the island from roughly 1600 to 850 B.C. As a freestanding building, the naveta served primarily as living quarters for a small group, as shown by finds of pottery, tools made of bone and stone, and a small bronze knife. Animal bones and shells also point to a subsistence economy that included hunting, livestock breeding, and use of the nearby coast.

Architecturally, the site stands out for its elongated shape with a rounded end, known as the apse, and an entrance facade facing south. Unlike many other navetas, which were entered through a simple opening in the wall, this one has a short corridor leading into the interior. The walls consist of irregular stone blocks laid without mortar, with the larger stones forming the base and smaller ones stacked above. Because the building was erected on a slope, a massive buttress wall supports the structure against slipping. The roof was probably originally made of leaves and clay. Today only parts of the exterior walls survive, at a height of roughly three to five feet, since the front section of the apse was looted in the past.

The Naveta d'Alemany is easy for visitors to reach, as it lies just a few yards from a country road where you can park without any trouble. Despite its proximity to modern development and the coast, the site offers a wide view over the surrounding landscape, the sea, and the former lagoon of Magaluf. The grounds are covered in Mediterranean vegetation such as pines, myrtle, and lavender. A cultural monument of special interest, the site has been protected since 1966 and was stabilized through restoration work in recent years. Note, however, that there are no information signs on site, so you should know the exact location in advance so you don't miss this historic monument.