Another Tour Magdala?

 

The island of Mallorca is a favourite holiday destination for many. Some might merely spend their time on beaches, or look at maps what else the island has to offer. In the latter case, they will likely see that there is a connection with “Mount Sion”. But for those who venture inland, there is another surprise.
Sóller is situated some three kilometres inland from its port, “Port de Sóller”. Sóller shares its valley with the village of Fornalutx and the hamlet of Biniaraix. The combined population is around 13,000, and the valley is famous for its orange groves and terraces of ancient olive trees. In the town, we need to head to the Camino de Can Vives, southwest of the train station and roughly leading towards the southern edge of the town.

Belvedere?

In this street, we find the Can Bell Esguard (“Beautiful View”), which the tourist information has described as an “atypical, singular building. It is amazing for both its construction and its history. Unlike what was commonplace in Sóller, this house was built on commission from a French emigrant living in the town in the late 19th century. Can Bell Esguard was originally a fortified mill that was refurbished in 1898. Its Neo-Mediaevalist and Neo-Mudejar elements stand out. This house is popularly known as Ses Torretes.” What the tourist information doesn’t say, is that it is also very identical to the Tour Magdala, which for a long time was seen as a unique construction built by Saunière. Images of the Tour remain the signature image of Rennes-le-Château.

Though in the past, several candidates have been put forward for towers or structures that resemble the Tour Magdala, these should be divided into two categories.
Category one would be stand-alone square towers, with a corner turret – as per the Tour Magdala. Of these, so far the demolished Tour in Gerona is one, and this “Can Bell Esguard” is another one.
In the second category, there are several more, including some in Italy and e.g. Virieu. These only have a fleeting resemblance to the Tour, and mostly, are identified as candidates because of a turret that is set at the corner of a building.
Since the discovery of the (demolished) House of the Cannons in Gerona, those in the second category have lost much of their importance. But it is interesting that shortly after the Girona tower, we can add another one to the category one list.

“A French emigrant”

Now, the “Bell Esguard” is of interest, for its likeness, but also because it was built by a French emigrant in the “correct” – that of Saunière – timeframe, and also because it contains a number of interesting esoteric designs – some of which we haven’t reproduced in detail yet – though the gargoyles at the top are clearly visible, and somewhat too large for their purpose.
Secondly, one of the reasons why Gerona is of interest, is because of the extremely strong La Sanch connection the town has – and specifically with the Archconfraternity of La Sanch of Perpignan, which in itself had links with Saunière. Is it therefore any wonder to find that in Mallorca, the presence of penitential orders is equally very important – and that of all regions of Mallorca, it is particularly this region that has the strongest connections to this movement? Though that could indeed be coincidence, it is nevertheless a point that needs to be made.

Filip Coppens