The house that printed the island's first book

A stone capital in the lobby of Can Oleo bears an enigmatic phrase: "Sirven sus voces a Dios y mi lengua para vos." It sits within a residence that was a modest 15th-century home and eventually into a public asset.

The property's roots go back to the family Tomàs, who built ships for corsairs. By 1489, Ramon Vivot had expanded the estate by purchasing three adjacent properties. One of these had housed the first printing press in Mallorca, where the first work ever printed on the island was produced. Ramon Vivot began the construction of a manor residence, from which the current courtyard and staircase date.

During the 16th century, the house underwent various renovations as the Vivot family gained importance. In the 18th century, the property passed to various owners until 1798, when it belonged to Mateu Estade i Bibiloni. Upon his death, it passed to his daughter, married to Francesc Oleo i Carrió, and thus passed to the Oleo family, who gave the house its current name. Francesc Oleo was a doctor who was involved in fighting the plague in 1820.

Today, the building belongs to the University of the Balearic Islands and is managed by the Government. While it is a public building, the facade features a smooth, simple, and undecorated surface, characteristic of Mallorcan manor houses, where the building's dimensions and sobriety stand out more than its ornamentation.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons