Els Calderers De Sant Joan, officially known as Museo Etnologico del Calderers, is a manor house and estate situated in the center of Mallorca between Vilafranca and Sant Joan.  The house was once the hub of a large wine estate that fell victim to  phylloxera disease.  The history of the Els Calderers estate can be traced back to 1285 just after the Moorish occupation, when the Calderers family owned the manor.

In the 18th century the Verí family bought the estate.  The imposing main building was probably built around 1750 and was periodically modified and expanded until the early 19th century.  In 1997, the current owners decided to open Els Calderers as a museum as a means of defraying maintenance costs and preserving the house and grounds as an example of Mallorcan farming culture.

Els Calderers can be reached by driving along the main road leading from Palma to Manacor (exit at kilometre mark 37).  A bike trip would also be a nice way to visit this site.  The entrance price is 9€ for adults and 4€ for children 2 – 12 years of age.  Groups of more than 10 pay 6€.  You can save a bit by purchasing tickets online.  Els Calderers is open from 10:00 – 17:00 in winter and closes one hour later in summer.

These are my photos from a visit in October 2019.

Set in beautiful countryside, the estate is a lovely place to spend a few hours.

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The manor house with its furniture, paintings and artifacts is the main attraction.  Viewing the wine cellar, granary, bakery, chapel and wash house, as well as wandering the grounds are also popular.  Children may especially like the selection of farm animals in the out buildings.

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It was common for homes like this to have a chapel and a resident priest.

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The manor surrounds a magnificent courtyard that seems to help cool the house.

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This plant looks like the prickly pear cactus I’ve seen all over the American southwest.  Mallorca enjoys a dry Mediterranean climate.

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Overall Impression

The manor house and estate are magnificent.  They are beautiful and provide insight into the history of the island.  If you are on Mallorca, visiting Els Calderers should be one of the items at the top of the to do list.