History

The Building of the Notaries Society of the Balearic Islands (located in what is today called Via Roma) it is an important part of the Majorcan architectural culture.

The inauguration of the building took place on the 18th June 1919. Francisco Roca Simo, the Majorcan architect who designed it, was known in Palma in the early twentieth century for its inclination to design Modernist buildings. Author of buildings of our City as emblematic as the so-called 'Pension Menorquina' and 'Casa Casasayas '(located in Plaza Santa Catalina Thomas, with a marked influence of Gaudi) and "Casa de Luis Segura" (located in the Plaza of the Conquest), are characteristic buildings of Palma modernism.

Determined to build their own House College, notaries agreed to buy a plot placed in the demolished walled city, exactly where la Puerta de Jesus was located (block of houses indicated in the plan of the Eixample with letter M, and 1,133 Sqm), after public contest among the various plots proprietors in order to let them offer their estates. It is important to note that notaries chose by lot the architect Gaspar Bennazar to advise them in the purchase of that plot. In the end they decided on the latter, for a fee of 32.000.- pesetas purchased on May 15, 1916 from Don Juan Palmer Miralles by means of deed authorized by the notary Miguel Pons (# 194).

To choose the new building project, notaries called new contest and five architects went for bidding: José Homar, Jaime Alena, self Gaspar Bennazar, Guillermo Reinés and Francisco Roca Simo. Since the purchased plot had a somewhat special form (as Bennazar noted itself in his preliminary draft), finally it was agreed to split into two and sell the remainder plot for funding the building. The July 18, 1916 notaries chose the project presented by Francisco Roca and after calling for another contest to choose the builder, Bartolome Ramis won the bid for 62.972.- pesetas.

In December 1916 works began. The rest of the plot, a trapezoidal plot of 397.74 meters, was sold by the notaries to Mr Jorge Fortuny Moragues by means of deed No. 342/1918 authorized by the Notary Pedro Alcover.

In 1991 the facade was totally restored and in 1993, when the said works were completed, the Notaries Society was awarded with the Ciutat de Palma Award 1993 for the best restoration of facades or recovery of specific architectural elements.