Torre de les Ànimes: The coastal watchtower of Banyalbufar

Hovering above the roiling waves and the patchwork terraces of Banyalbufar, Torre del Verger is a defense tower situated on the cliffs between Estellencs and Banyalbufar. Constructed in the late 16th century, it formed part of an extensive surveillance and signaling system across the Mallorcan coast to combat piracy. It served to receive and send signals with the Torre de na Pòpia and the Torre de Valldemossa.

Known primarily as Torre de les Ànimes, the name is linked to a legend from the time of Archduke Lluís Salvador. When the Archduke purchased the tower from the State, the sale included only the immediate surroundings. When the owner of the adjacent land died, his son sold it to the Archduke, believing the land was cursed. Legend says that the wind's sound could mimic the moans of the deceased farmer's soul, giving the tower its popular name.

Built of stone and mortar, the tower stands about four metres high with a cylindrical body and a vaulted chamber. Because it is the smallest tower in Mallorca, the guards could not live inside and instead stayed in a nearby hut. In 1715, it was the first to spot the fleet of General d'Asfeld. It was later purchased by Francesc Manuel de los Herreros in the name of the Archduke and was restored by the Consell de Mallorca in 2020.

The need for torres de vigilancia to defend against marauding pirates was forging its own legend across the island, yet Torre del Verger stands alone, not because it has no story, but because it has many.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons