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Welcome to Costa
Nord, a project that I hope will help you to know
a little bit better one of the most privileged places
in the world. A place whose landscape, culture and
history bewitched me from the very first moment. I
am certain that this experience will be an excellent
start to share my passion for a land so full of beauty
and tradition, and create, in this way, a cultural
bond between the Island's inhabitants and those who
visit it.
'The scenery is
so full of magic and poetry', the Archduke Ludwig
Salvator of Austria wrote over a hundred years ago,
fascinated by the wild landscape, the blue remoteness,
and the unique fauna and flora or the traditional
ways of life of the Tramuntana Mountain Range, the
North Coast of Majorca.
Twenty years ago
Michael Douglas arrived in Majorca and, as Ludwig
Salvator and many others before him, discovered the
charm of The Tramuntana Range. From that moment of
discovery between the actor and the North Coast, this
project of cultural invigoration was born, with the
vocation to transmit to the visitors the same feeling
of fascination that this land has exerted over writers,
artists, musicians and thinkers.
Majorca, the largest
of the Balearic Islands, situated right in the heart
of the Western Mediterranean region, has been coveted,
loved and revered by the most important civilizations
of all times : Carthaginians, Romans, Byzantines,
Moslems, Christians … who all left important
examples of their culture and architecture, their
history and most ancient and deep-rooted traditions.
To all of the above
we should add that Nature has been extremely generous
with Majorca : from the impressive cliffs in the north,
to the extensive golden beaches with their clear blue
waters, in the south. It is easy to understand why
this point of light in the Mediterranean has captivated,
not only the most powerful countries, but also some
of the most extraordinary characters in history.
Situated in an old
residential building in Valldemossa, Costa Nord is
a centre of cultural invigoration that wants to transmit
to its visitors the fascination of the scenery of
'The Tramuntana Mountain Range', in the north of Majorca,
and contribute to the promotion of the local landscape,
flora and traditions and their preservation for future
generations to enjoy.
Born to one of the
most important European families, a relative of Empress
Sisí, the Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Hapsburg-Lorraine
was an anthropologist, botanist and archaeologist,
as well as a writer, a good artist and a forerunner
in the preservation of the natural scenery of Majorca.
His work 'Die Balearen' (1884), is an essential contribution
to the knowledge of the human geography of the Balearic
Islands.
The Archduke was
also a worldly man, and the legend of his love affair
with Majorcan Catalina Homar has survived to this
day in the folk memory of the Island's inhabitants.
The figure of Ludwig
Salvator of Austria has served as a reference for
different writers and artists who along the 20th Century
have been guests to the North Coast.
The Tramuntana Mountain
Range covers an area of 80.000 hectares that stretch
over one hundred kilometres on the northern part of
Majorca.
The uneven coast
forms a landscape of wild beauty where species of
animals and vegetation that have long disappeared
from the rest of the Island and the Mediterranean,
still survive. Among which, 25 of these species and
subspecies of endemic plants are unique in the world.
It is a region of a great historical content and incomparable
beauty, marked by the very well defined peculiarities
of its population. Human presence has gradually transformed
the Island, generally, in a harmonious way. Defence
towers, water mills, manor houses, fortifications
and monasteries are a testimony of centuries of settlement.
The documentary
takes us on a journey through 'The Tramuntana Mountain
Range', where, accompanied by Michael Douglas, we
will visit places such as the Dragonera cliffs, the
centenarian walls of Castell del Rei, Deiá,
Sóller, Lluc, and of course, Valldemossa.
Nixe, the Archduke's
boat, served both as a palace and a laboratory in
his research about and around the Balearic Islands.
In this display, the interior of the ship is recreated
according to description from different testimonies
of the time.
Michael Douglas' voice-over, accompanies us in our
visit to the interior, where we can see his private
rooms, the places where he used to meet with his friends,
where he worked and shared his solitude.
An exhibition area
about 'The Tramuntana Mountain Range'. It usually
shelters an exhibition displaying pictures and objects
that shows us what daily life was like in the Tramuntana
Range 150 years ago.
Currently, and until
May 2001, this area will display a very interesting
exhibition, 'Culture and Nature in the Tramuntana
Mountain Range', which is produced by GOB (Balearic
Ornithological Group).
Next June the GOB (Balearic Ornithological Group)
will continue to disclose new surprises and curiosities
of the Tramuntana Mountain Range to us. In this occasion
they will introduce us to the Pearls of the Tramuntana
Range.
When I inaugurated
the Centro Cultural Costa Nord in March of the year
2000, I was convinced that the three years of preparation
had obtained the desired effect: that of constituting
a unique centre, open to cultural expression, one
which would create an emotional link between the magical
environment of the island of Majorca and those who
visit it. It is therefore a pleasure for me to invite
you to discover this remarkable space and use it as
the setting for business communication and contacts.
Its proximity to
Palma (barely 15 km away) and the artistic heritage
the village is home to, have turned Valldemossa into
one of the most important meeting places in Majorca.
A combination of
creativity and tradition. That is the recipe we use
for our cuisine. The result: an extensive menu of
innovative and surprising dishes. But if a great chef
should stand out in one particular area, that must
surely be in his ability to adapt to diners' tastes.
Which is why we are open to suggestions and variations.
Often privacy is
one of the most precious ingredients for a good meal.
In Costa Nord our private dining room with a capacity
for 14 people is at your complete disposal. We even
offer a full catering service so that you can enjoy
our exquisite menu wherever you choose.
We have in-depth
knowledge of the world of communication and we are
aware that technology is its greatest ally. Microphones,
video projection, video conference, DVD, computer-to-screen
data transmission, connection to digital lines, web-cams...
And that's not all, because technology makes progress
from day to day, and we progress at the same rate
Nothing escapes
our attention, not the smallest detail - we are constantly
'all set'. Translators, simultaneous translation,
conference hostesses, transport, insurance and messenger
service, decoration, fax, organization of cocktail
parties, programmed excursions... And everything that
you or your company could possibly imagine or need.
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