On Wednesday next week, work will start on renovation of the Marivent Palace, the Royal Family's residence in Palma. Costing half a million euros, the work is scheduled to take six months, though it won't be completed until December.
There will be a break between July 10 and August 30. Although King Felipe, Queen Letizia, Princess Leonor and Infanta Sofia are typically only in residence for around ten days in the summer, the Queen Mother, Sofia, is usually in Mallorca for a longer period.
Commissioned by the painter Juan de Saridakis, the palace was built between 1923 and 1925. His widow donated the property to the then Provincial Council on the understanding that it would be used as a museum and be open to the public. In 1973, the Council ceded it to Juan Carlos, who became king after Franco's death in 1975. The Saridakis estate sued for non-compliance with the terms, but the palace remained in the hands of the provincial authorities, now the Balearic Government.
The renovation is therefore being organised by the ministry for the presidency, which also oversees ongoing maintenance. It is acting on technical reports which point to deterioration. There is erosion, a consequence of the palace's proximity to the sea, while there hasn't been renovation for 25 years.
The work is said to be straightforward, but a large number of improvements are required, such as to a disused ceramic fountain, "which presents an image of neglect". Tiles, doors need replacing; a wall and walkway have been damaged by tree roots; machinery and pipework for the two pools need updating. These are examples of what has to be done.