Castell d'Alaró: Sale amid expropriation procedure – who decides about the castle?

Castell d'Alaró: Sale amid expropriation procedure – who decides about the castle?

Key question: Who owns the history of Alaró — the heirs, the local market, or the public?

What is happening now

The Ordinas family has put their share in the ruins of Castell d'Alaró up for sale; the listed price is €3.4 million and, according to the sales description, includes around 700,000 square meters with walls, historic aljubs (cisterns), the Sant Antoni cave and the finca Es Verger. Not included in the offer: the chapel, which belongs to the Diocese. In parallel, since last autumn an expropriation procedure by the Consell de Mallorca has been underway. The basis is a new Balearic law from 2025 that is meant to allow public authorities faster land acquisition, and a change to the land-use plan that foresees an institution for history, archaeology and landscape at the castle.

Critical analysis: playing with time or a legitimate offer?

The timing of the offer raises questions. It appears that an attempted sale could change the negotiating position: a private buyer might demand higher sums, push for changes of use, or legally resist an expropriation. At the same time, public interests — permanent access, scientific research, and preservation of the structure — are at stake. The administration does have new tools, but speed alone is not enough if financing, conservation plans and rules of use are missing afterward. The role of the Diocese is also not a side issue: a clearly delineated ownership situation is a prerequisite for a legally secure solution.

What is missing from the public debate

There is little discussion about the actual follow-up costs for conservation and visitor infrastructure, or what a long-term maintenance plan should look like. Who will pay for archaeological work, paths, masonry stabilization, toilets, parking? There is a lack of transparency about the valuation method in the expropriation and about alternatives such as partial acquisition by municipalities or foundations. The views of Alaró residents themselves — hiking guides, farmers, shopkeepers — have so far only appeared on the margins.

A Mallorcan everyday scene on a hot August morning

Imagine the ascent: early hikers, in the shade of Aleppo pines, olive trees, the heat already humming. On the plaça in Alaró the dishes clink, older women discuss repairing the municipal path. Children chase pigeons, the village church bell strikes half past ten. The ruin is more than stones; it is a meeting place, a viewpoint, a backdrop for photos and family celebrations — a public memory that is easily damaged when decisions are made behind closed doors.

Concrete solution approaches

1) Immediate protection requirements: regardless of the procedure, a protection catalogue should apply to prevent further damage and commercial interventions. 2) Independent valuation: an expert commission of archaeologists, appraisers and representatives of the island administration should transparently determine the compensation basis. 3) Trust model or foundation: a public-private vehicle could bundle purchase and preservation, linked to clear opening hours and a restoration fund. 4) Involvement of the municipality: a local body should be given co-decision rights on usage concepts. 5) Mediation before escalation: mediation procedures between the owners and the Consell could avoid years of costly court cases.

Without such steps there is a risk that the conflict will turn into a decades-long legal dispute that harms both the ruin and everyday life.

Pointed conclusion: It is not just about square meters or a sale price. Whoever decides today about Castell d'Alaró determines how Mallorca's history is accessible, maintained and told. The administration has instruments, the owners have interests — now there must be more transparency, concrete care plans and genuine participation from Alaró, otherwise all that remains is a lesson about missed opportunities.