Bastió de Sant Pere

Bastió de Sant Pere stands in Palma, Spain, beside Plaça Porta Santa Catalina and the Pont de la Riera. This Renaissance bastion forms part of the city’s old fortifications. Its substantial profile strengthened Palma against artillery, while its position gave defenders room to move guns and survey the surroundings. Giacomo Palearo Fratín designed the connected walls and bastions in 1574. Construction followed between 1575 and 1578, replacing medieval defences that no longer matched gunpowder weapons.

The stronghold later hosted one of Europe’s most prestigious artillery schools and changed shape through successive alterations. Vicenç Mut adjusted its height to match neighbouring bastions in 1646. After more than three centuries of military use, it was decommissioned in 1952, damaged in 1963, and reconstructed in 1965. By the late 1980s, disuse had left the fortification neglected. Palma council later ceded the grounds for Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art. The museum incorporates the structure into modern design and exhibition spaces. Its terrace overlooks Palma and the sea, while a bar and café terrace extend the public setting.