Mallorca's termite-hit altarpiece gets €225,000 rescue
In Montuïri, Mallorca, termites have left a church altarpiece so weak that a glass screen was put up to protect its chapel from a possible collapse. The Bishopric of Mallorca is now restoring the Altarpiece of the Name of Jesus at Sant Bartomeu church, with a return planned for Holy Week 2027. Mallorca Island Council president Llorenç Galmés visited the bishopric’s restoration workshop on Thursday, 1 October, and said the work was progressing well.
Repairing the damaged wood
The island council says the altarpiece was in a critical condition for decades. Its restoration has a total budget of €225,000. Preliminary studies took place in 2024, followed by the removal of sections and repairs to the altar in 2025.
This year’s work has a budget of €155,000 and covers the remaining structure, painted panels and carvings. Once all the pieces are restored, the altarpiece is due to be reassembled in the church. Galmés hopes it can be unveiled there during Holy Week 2027.
Library collection to go online
The island council is also providing €50,000 for work on the Diocese of Mallorca’s library, which holds around 200,000 older and contemporary volumes. Plans for the 2026–2027 academic year include further cataloguing and digitisation, as well as an inventory and cleaning of older collections.
The aim is to link the library’s database to the networks of Mallorca Island Council and the University of the Balearic Islands, making the collection accessible to researchers and the public.
Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com