PALMA
THE Spanish Minister for the Environment, Cristina Narbona, and the President of the Council of Majorca, Francina Armengol, will open the Environmental Interpretation Centre at Raixa in Bunyola at 8.30pm on Monday, according to Council sources.
The emblematic estate has been restored and refurbished under an agreement signed by the Spanish Government in 2003 for the conservation, protection and improvement of the natural, cultural, historical, artistic, educational, recreational, environmental, anthropoligical and ethnic assets of the estate.
The estate was bought and refurbished by the Biodiversity Foundation in collaboration with the Council of Majorca, and from now on it will be used for activities which will centre on programmes promoted by them, although it will also house the headquarters of various international organisations whose purpose is the protection of the environment and of heritage items.
The International University Menendez Pelayo, UNESCO and Europarc (which represents 400 parks and natural spaces in 39 European countries) are just some of the organisations which have shown interest in using the estate, situated in the Bunyola area, as their headquarters.
The Ministry for the environment has set aside a total of 24 million euros for the recuperation of the building and another six for the refurbishment of the gardens and the outbuildings.
The gardens and the house at Raixa were once one of the most popular excursions on the island. The house was featured in the film Evil Under the Sun, starring Peter Ustinov, James Mason, Maggie Smith and Diana Rigg.