PALMA, or PALMA DE MALLORCA  , the capital of the Spanish province of the Balearic Islands, the residence of a captain-general, an episcopal see, and a flourishing seaport, situated 135 M . S.S.E. of Barcelona, on the south-west coast of Majorca, at the head of the fine Bay of Palma, which stretches inland for about 10 m. between Capes Cala Figuera and Regana . Pop . (1 goo), 63,937, including a colony of Jews converted to Christianity (Chuetas) . Palma is the meeting place of all the highways in the island, and the terminus of the railway to Inca, Manacor, and Alcudia . The ramparts, which enclose the city on all sides except towards the port (where they were demolished in 1872), have a circuit of a little more than 4 in . Though begun in 1562, they were not finished till 1836 . Palma underwent considerable change in the 19th century, and the fine old-world Moorish character of the place suffered accordingly . The more conspicuous buildings are the cathedral, the exchange, the royal palace, now occupied by the captain-general, and the law courts, the episcopal palace, a handsome late Renaissance building (16r6), the general hospital (1456), the town-house (end of the 16th century), the picture gallery, and the college . The church of San Francisco is interesting for the tomb of Raimon Lull, a native of Palma . The cathedral was erected and dedicated to the Virgin by King James I. of Aragon as he sailed to the conquest of Majorca; but, though founded in 1230, it was not finished till 16o1 . The older and more interesting portions are the royal chapel (1232), with the marble sarcophagus of James II .

(d . 1311) which was erected here in 1779; and the south front with the elaborately-sculptured

doorway known as del mirador (1389) . The exchange (lonja), a Gothic building begun in 1426, excited the admiration of the emperor Charles V . Palma has a seminary founded in 1700, a collection of archives dating from the 14th century, a school and museum of fine arts, a nautical school and an institute founded in 1836 to replace the old university (1503) . The harbour, formed by a mole constructed to a length of 387 yds. in the 14th century and afterwards extended to more than 65o yds., has been greatly improved since 1875 by dredgingand a further addition to the mole of 136 yds . Previously it was not accessible to vessels drawing more than 18 ft . Palma has frequent and' regular communication by steamer with Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante . Puertopi, about 2 M. south-west of the city, was once a good harbour, but is now fit only for small craft . Palma has a thriving trade in grain, wine, oil, almonds, fruit, vegetables, silk, foodstuffs and livestock . There are manufactures of alcohol, liqueurs, chocolate, starch, sugar, preserves, flour, soap, leather, earthenware, glass, matches, paper, linen, woollen goods and rugs . Palma probably owes, if not its existence, at least its name (symbolized on the Roman coins by a palm branch), to Metellus Balearicus, who in 123 B.C. settled three thousand Roman and Spanish colonists on the island . The bishopric dates from the 14th century .

About 1 m. south-west of Palma is the

castle of Bellver or Belbez, the ancient residence of the kings of Majorca . Miramar, the beautiful country seat of the archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria, is 12 M. north of Palma .