The most spectacular
caves are perhaps those of Arta, on the far east side of the island,
in the Cap Vermell, offering a pretty contrast between the red earth
of the promontory and the blue of the sea. These are limestone caves,
one at a depth of almost half a kilometre, and comparisons have been
made with a Gothic cathedral. One of the most striking is the Sal
a de las Banderas, the Hall of Flags, where the stalagmites reach
up to 22 metres in height. The caves were discovered in Arab times;
they have been visited and studied by scientists, described by writers,
and Isabella II herself satisfied her curiosity by paying them a visit.Near
to Arta is the most important prehistoric archaeological site in Majorca,
Ses Paisses, which is circular and surrounded by a Cyclopean wall,
with a talayote or low tower dominating the settlement, and a series
of adjoining rooms. The site has been dated to the end of the second
millennium BC.
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