History

Petra’s Christian origin dates back to the thirteenth century, when James I The Conqueror, along with the Aragonese troops, defeated the Saracens at the famous battle of Portopí. They decided to divide the island of Majorca into twelve districts, among them was Petra, which was under the command of James I. Shortly later, Petra was distributed among different knights in the area, among which was the Burgues family, one of the most prominent of the town. Later on, Son Burgues was born, a former possessió built in the eighteenth Century, which has recently been renovated with the aim of offering its tenants a combination of peace -typical of the peasants who have traditionally worked the land- and modernity and comfort.

            Petra is well known for being the birthplace of the eighteenth-century Franciscan friar Junipero Serra, famous for being the evangelist of California.It is curious how the first wine plantation in California, emerged from the work of four spanish missionaries in the nineteenth century, little after the evangelization of Junipero Serra in the area. In his honor Petra preserved his birthplace, monuments as a homonym Squire, and a museum with documents and objects tribute to his Life and Works.