Valldemossa is a village and municipality on the island of Majorca, part of the Spanish autonomous community of the Balearic Islands. Valldemossa grew famous for one landmark: The Royal Chartreuse of Jesus of Nazareth, built from the first years of the XIV century, when the mystic and philosopher Ramon LLull was living in this area of Majorca. From 1835, after the government confiscated The Chartreuse to the Christian Order of St Bruno, aiming to rise money for arms during a Civil War, the historic estate was sold to private owners who have housed since several prominent guests. Among the most famous guest were the composer Frédéric Chopin and French writer and pionnering feminist George Sand (who wrote her acclaimed novel "A Winter in Majorca" based on their visit, praising the natural beauty of this island but highly critic about the prejudice and moral vices of native population). Later the Hispanic poet Rubén Darío was host of the Sureda y Montaner families who own the Chartreuse estate. To fight his own nightmares Rubén Dario would sleep in monk habits, however his drink habits cause a rift with his private hosts and thus his departure from the former monastery and from Majorca. Also Jorge Luis Borges lived in the town with his parents and his sister Norah, after the First World War let them free from their Geneva´s refuge. Borges passionate friendship with the young artist Jacobo Sureda Montaner, son of the excellent painter Pilar Montaner, was decisive for Borges creating mainly in Spanish. Since the XIX century Valldemossa was promoted internationally as a beautiful spot thanks to the affection of a distinguished traveller and cultural writer, the Austrian Archduke Ludwig Salvator. Another curiosity, which might go unnoticed to tourists, not really the most commendable curiosity of Valldemossa, is the incredible fact that the town's major is the only one in the democratic Kingdom of Spain to remain in power since the tyranny of Franco, more than 30 years. This Guiness record is an inexplicable anachronism, which Plato and Antonio Maura had fought because it ruins democracy. Even the European Union passed a recent resolution asking to remove all vestiges from the Franco's dictatorship. Thus Valldemossa may make an interest place to visit not only for those who search natural beauty and history but also for those interested in social pathologies, as George Sand indicated in her book "Winter in Majorca". Because of this political anachronism, what remains of its famous landmark: The Royal Chartreuse estate is under threat of disappearing under a new wave of cement. | 