The Architects Who Wouldn't Leave It Alone
Gaudí was hired to fix the lighting in Palma's cathedral. He tore out the choir, hung an enormous crown of thorns over the altar as a temporary model, then quit in a temper before building the real one — and it has hung there ever since. A walk through a city that cannot leave a finished building alone: a jeweller who designed his own house, a confectioner refused a private bridge over a public street, a theatre that burned down on the night of Macbeth, and a smuggler's palace full of Rodins.
What You'll Experience
Plan your walk
Know the route before you buy
- Starts at
- Introduction
- Ends at
- The Reveal
- Walking plan
- 1h · ~0.8 miles
- Schedule
- Start, pause, and resume anytime
Included in the app
- Professional narration
- GPS-triggered stops
- Downloadable tour audio
- Ask the Historian Q&A
- Optional end-of-tour reveal
- All 10 story stops
A taste of what you'll hear
10 stops, each with its own story. Here's a preview.
"Antoni Gaudí was hired to fix the lighting in Palma's cathedral. He tore the choir out of the middle of it, unbricked the windows, hung an enormous crown of thorns over the altar as a temporary model..."
"Two buildings here, one on each side of the little street, and they are the same building twice. Same rippling stonework, same curved windows, same wave running along the top as if the whole façade is slowly melting."
"Four things on that walk were mine. Here they are. The Gran Hotel really did close in nineteen forty-one and really did spend decades as social security offices and a courtroom — that whole indignity is documented."
Tour itinerary
Every stop on this walk
Explore the route before you go. Each stop has its own story preview, location details, and place in the larger tour.
- 11IntroductionAntoni Gaudí was hired to fix the lighting in Palma's cathedral. He tore the choir out of the middle of it, unbricked the windows, hung an...39.5714, 2.6489 Read this stop
- 22Gran HotelThe building with the flowers crawling all over it is the Gran Hotel, and when it opened it was the most modern object on this island by a...39.5714, 2.6489 Read this stop
- 33Teatre PrincipalThe Teatre Principal. Palma has had a theatre standing on this spot since sixteen sixty-two — which makes this patch of ground one of the...39.5719, 2.6504 Read this stop
- 44Plaça Marquès del PalmerFind the face. It's high up on the building with the broken tiles all over it — a big hairy grotesque head with a winged dragon on either...39.5713, 2.6516 Read this stop
- 55Ca'n Joan de s'AigoDown this lane there's a café called Ca'n Joan de s'Aigo, which translates as the house of John of the Water.39.5706, 2.6532 Read this stop
- 66Can Casasayas & Pensió MenorquinaTwo buildings here, one on each side of the little street, and they are the same building twice.39.5706, 2.6490 Read this stop
- 77Casal SollericThe pale stone palace on the corner of the Born, with the deep first-floor gallery and the iron railing running across it, is the Casal...39.5697, 2.6465 Read this stop
- 88Palau MarchThis is the Palau March, and the first thing worth noticing is the address. It's built directly against the royal palace, a few steps from...39.5673, 2.6470 Read this stop
- 99Catedral de Mallorca — the interventionsInside this cathedral there are two objects that Mallorca has been arguing about for a hundred years, and neither of them was supposed to be...39.5674, 2.6479 Read this stop
- 1010The RevealFour things on that walk were mine. Here they are. The Gran Hotel really did close in nineteen forty-one and really did spend decades as...39.5674, 2.6479 Read this stop
Stories first
Every stop is built around people, conflict, ambition, and consequences—not a plaque read aloud.
Most of it is true. The extra mischief is just a wink at the end, but the story is what carries the walk.
Have questions? Just ask.
Curious about something you heard? Want to know more about a place? Ask us anything — we have a lot to say. It's more fun when it's a conversation.
Ready?
Download the app, head to the starting point, and press play. The stories start themselves.
Get the AppBefore you go
Quick answers
How much is this tour?
$9.99 as a one-time purchase in the iOS app. The Mallorca city pack is $14.99 and includes every currently available tour in the city.
Can I use it with spotty cell service?
Download the tour audio on Wi-Fi before leaving. Cached narration plays without streaming; map tiles and other online features may still need a connection.
Do I have to start at a specific time?
No. Start when it suits you, pause for a detour or meal, and resume later. Check the opening hours of any venue you personally plan to enter.
Are admission tickets included?
The purchase covers the Bad Historian audio experience. Transportation, food, and admission to third-party attractions are not included.
The Architects Who Wouldn't Leave It Alone
$9.99 · one-time