Spanish artist Miquel Barcelo fulfilled a childhood wish by restoring a 12th century tower that he fell in love with when he was only 12 years old.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Miquel Barcelo spent years renovating what used to be an Arab look-out tower near the mountains of Mallorca. He first saw the structure when he was 12 years and knew then that it had to be his home. In 1984, Barcelo was able to purchase the tower and the surrounding property which included a small building that once served as a hunting lodge for the the King of Mallorca. Over the years, the artist was able to transform the property into a beautiful retreat for his family.
The property sits on a hilltop in the village of Arta, overlooking lush mountains and the Mediterranean sea. Barcelo spent three decades restoring the prominence of the tower and the surrounding properties. He transformed it into a two-story, 5,380-square-foot home with four bedrooms and four bathrooms. The tower contains one bedroom. The Spanish artist also added a guesthouse with two bedrooms and two baths, a painter's studio, a greenhouse and a pool.
Barcelo declined to reveal the total cost of property and the amount of money spent on renovations. Louis Bruehlmann, managing director at First Mallorca, a local real-estate company, says a similar plot of land, with a small home, in another part of Mallorca is for sale for €15 million, or about $16.8 million.
Miquel Barcelo is one of Spain's prominent artists. The painter's February interview with Huffington Post talks about his interests and sources of inspiration for his artwork. He also revealed his favorite places in Mallorca which includes the Caves of Drach, the Cathedral of Mallorca and the bottom of the sea. Barcelo even admits to being obsessed with caves stating that it's like "going underwater" and that it also is the place where light is made. "The cave creates things, it's always fascinating. It's also the place for burials and reflection. Where I live there is a cave and this was a very determining factor when I decided to buy the house," said Barcelo.
