Great Historical Majorcan Country Estates

The Majorcan possessions were and still are very typical on the island and refer to large rural estates. They have existed in rural areas since Medieval times until the present.  These emblematic agricultural estates awaken an enormous patrimonial, architectonic, cultural, ethnographic and even artistic interest.

Usually they are comprised of a main house and several external buildings and barns.  They are a window to Mallorca’s agricultural history, and have helped to understand the workings and development of the island’s society in the past and the lives of the different social groups.

The huge rural centres were often self-sufficient running its own stock farming and production of many agricultural products such as wheat, oil, vegetables and fruit.

The Majorcan term "possessió" dates back to the sixteenth century, although their production systems go back as early to the thirteenth century.

The owners of these country estates were called ”senyors”, normally part of the landowning Majorcan nobility. They controlled the trade of all farm products. Those who rented and run the possessions of the ‘senyors' were known as the "amos".

Therefore, the main buildings of each possession were the house of the "senyors" (casal de senyors) and the house of the “amo” (casal d’amo) - person in charge of the estate. All were built around large cloisters (called “clastra”) which allowed direct access to the various sections of the building. The water deposit was also usually located here too.

The possession was also home to the workers - peasants and shepherds, specialised in different crafts, who occupied other buildings.

Each farm had a number of neighbouring buildings and barns which served for breeding and housing of animals, storage of products, stables, and caretaker’s quarters. An important feature of the possession was the chapel, as well as a watchtower to protect the inhabitants.

These rural estates have been adapting and changing over the centuries.

Nowadays the possessions still stand out on the island’s architecture and are usually preserved in a good or even very good condition.

There are several stunning Majorcan possessions which can be visited. Some have become rural hotels, headquarters to foundations or museums; others continue to produce and farm the land, although these have become smaller and run on a family base.

Many of these emblematic buildings are classified and protected.

Engel & Völkers, the island's leading real estate brand, established in Mallorca for 25 years, with 16 offices and a portfolio of 2,000 properties for sale, also has Majorcan possessions on the market.Some beautifully renovated, others holding enormous potential and still waiting to be renovated and converted into a unique home or a rural hotel.

Here you can find the most beautiful possessions we have on our portfolio: