Marès, as it is known in Mallorca, is a sedimentary rock formed by the consolidation and solidification of ancient coastal dunes made up of sand and marine biological remains, such as shells and fossils. Its formation dates back to the Quaternary period, 2.5 million years ago.
There are records of hundreds of quarries dating back to the early 15th century. Llucmajor has a deep connection with its past of marès quarrying, with some quarries still in operation today. Outcrops of this material are found in 41% of the municipal area, which is why quarries were part of the landscape and life of Llucmajor.
There were many marès quarries in the vicinity of s’Arenal, which led to the establishment of a village here at the end of the 19th century, inhabited mainly by quarrymen and fishermen. The extraction of marès pieces was done by hand (a method known in Mallorca as a la mala), and the quarrymen were called trencadors. In 1958, the first marès extraction machine was patented, leading to a rapid decline in the trade until it disappeared altogether.
Traces of these quarries can easily be found in the interior of s’Arenal itself. The church and some other houses are built on sandstone foundations, where you can clearly see the natural rock slope on which they stand. In Joan Ferre Park, a reproduction of a mill used to hoist the blocks from the bottom of the quarries has been installed. The Pancaritat de s’Arenal pilgrimage is celebrated in a nearby quarry in Son Verí.
In the surrounding fields, as well as on the coast at sea level, you can see the quarry cuts where the ashlars were extracted, landscapes that bear witness to this activity. In fact, there is an entire area called Les Pedreres de la Seu, which shows a portion of the coastline that has been modified by the exploitation of the rocks used for the construction of the cathedral, among other buildings. Its location on the seashore facilitated its transport by boat to the temple factory.
In 2021, an interesting exhibition on this subject collected testimonies and relevant information about the trade.
