Legends of Inca

Oral tradition is the collection of stories passed down by word of mouth and from generation to generation. These include myths, legends, and folk tales—stories dating back hundreds or thousands of years, usually by anonymous authors and with many different versions.

A legend is a narrative of natural, supernatural, or mixed events passed down from generation to generation in oral or written form. They are typically based on real or alleged characters or events, natural clues, religious beliefs, and superstitions. These are set in a time and place familiar to the members of a community, which gives the story a certain truthfulness, and in some cases, they even stem from historically accurate situations. In their transmission process through oral tradition, they sometimes undergo deletions, additions, or modifications, giving rise to an entire world full of variations.

With this itinerary, we want to share the stories and legends surrounding Inca while discovering part of the history and heritage preserved within the City.

1. City Hall

Even during the Islamic period, the city of Inca was already one of the most dynamic and important centers in Mallorca’s Part Forana. Did you know that the name Inca comes from the Arabic word Inkan? What do you think it means?

Inca has two very well-known legends: one related to the city’s coat of arms, and the other related to its reputation for being stingy.

2. Celler de Can Amer

The cellers, currently transformed into restaurants, are buildings where wine was made and stored in large wooden barrels. Did you know that vineyards were the primary crop in Inca until the 19th century, when they were destroyed by the phylloxera plague?

In one of them, an event took place—half reality, half legend—featuring an Italian character who arrived on the island during the Civil War, and a young woman from Inca whose trace was lost.

3. Old Inca Hospital

This space, today occupied by three 20th-century buildings, was the site where the Inca Hospital was built in the 16th century. Inside the chapel of this building, there was a Gothic carving of the Holy Christ which, according to history, sweat blood and water in September 1607.

4. Santa Maria la Major Parish Church

A church already documented in 1248, on top of which two more temples were built—one in the 14th century and the other, the current one, in the 18th century.

The central image of the Baroque main altarpiece represents Santa Maria la Major and is the work of Pere de Santjoan (around 1400). This image has a legend about its miraculous discovery by two people from Pollença who wanted to take it to Pollença, and its desire to be venerated in Inca.

5. Sa Font Vella

In Mallorca, there is a legend closely related to wells and cisterns that parents and grandparents used to tell to scare children.

6. Sant Bartomeu Monastery

In the cloister is the Hackberry Tree of Sister Clara Andreu, where, according to tradition, she tied her donkey when she arrived at the convent; furthermore, the life of this nun has inspired a multitude of legends. Dare to discover them!

The church is from a later period, dating back to 1667 and completed a few years later; you can see this date on the church facade.

7. Sa Pota del Rei

Mallorca is full of places that people connect with the figure of James I; in many areas, you can find hoofprints left by King James’s horse on the stones.

One of these is preserved in Inca, and a legend is known regarding this space. If you want to discover it…

8. Niche on Sant Sebastià Street

In 1652, Mallorca suffered a severe plague in which between 15,000 and 20,000 people died.

9. Sant Domingo Church and Convent

An architectural ensemble consisting of the church, the former convent, and the cloister, dating from the Baroque period and built between 1664 and 1800.

After the secularization of the monks in 1835, the cloister and the convent buildings underwent many transformations.

10. Sant Francesc Church

In 1835, the monks had to leave, but they returned in 1909 and re-established themselves in their convent, which had been occupied by the Congregation of the Sisters of Charity until 1915, where they founded a school.

Inside, there is a 17th-century image of Saint Anthony of Padua which, according to legend, was highly venerated by single women from Inca. If you want to know why…