The Cathedral is Majorca's most emblematic monument, as it perfectly synthesises the last eight centuries of its history. The image of a great ship on the sea dominating the bay of Palma with its beauty and presence first surprises visitors before arousing their curiosity and becoming a symbol of the island's historical and spiritual heritage. Built next to the Mediterranean, the Cathedral leads a monumental ensemble, evoking the cultures that came before the conquest of Madina Mayurqa, on 31 December 1229, by James I, the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona. James the Conqueror, following the habit of the time, consecrated the old mosque to the Virgin Mary and prepared to build a new church in the style of the era. There is documentary evidence from 1230 relating to the work on the Cathedral. http://www.visitpalma.com/en/contenido/lugares-de-interes/lugarinteres/La-Seu-Majorca-Cathedral/