During the Spanish Civil War, over 700 Republican prisoners were locked in its dungeons. But times change, and in a few days, the impressive medieval Bellver Castle in Palma de Mallorca will host 700 chosen VIPs, members of the exclusive club of the wealthiest people on the planet.
They are the top 700 jewelry clients of Louis Vuitton, the exclusive and legendary French luxury brand with global power, the elitist empire led by Bernard Arnault, the man who in 2024 was named by Forbes as the richest in the world, with an estimated fortune of around 200 billion dollars.
All of them have been invited to an event being prepared in the Mallorcan city with the secrecy and discretion befitting such an exclusive occasion.
Louis Vuitton has chosen the iconic circular Bellver Castle, located on a hill overlooking the bay of Palma, as the setting for the global presentation gala of its annual high jewelry collection. An event that will turn the Spanish city into the showcase of global luxury, as happened in 2023 in Athens when the gala was held at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, with actress Ana de Armas as the brand's image.
The event has been designed with the utmost confidentiality, directed from Paris and meticulously cared for in every detail. A logistics team has been working on-site for weeks, staying at the exclusive Son Vida hotel.
The high jewelry firm, which has a flagship boutique store in the golden mile of downtown Palma (expanded in 2024 and located in another historic building, the Can Alomar mansion), will pay 175,000 euros for the castle rental to the Palma City Council. This ensures keeping it closed to the public for eight days (including three Mondays, when the complex usually closes).
Ticket revenues from visitors during that period usually amount to a maximum of 32,000 euros, five times less, as detailed by municipal sources. The money raised will be allocated to cultural and heritage activities.
The castle rental fee is just one of the staggering figures generated by an event of this magnitude. The direct event expenses, which will provide direct employment to over 1,000 people, are estimated to reach 24 million euros. "All chauffeurs and luxury vehicles on the island have been mobilized, and a significant arrival of private planes is expected," explain PR sector sources to LOC, where excitement and mystery surrounding an event of this nature are spreading like wildfire. Also, the uncertainty of who the guests will be.
Contacts between a company representative and the City Council began six months ago when a brand emissary expressed interest in renting the castle. Initially, a request was made to reserve it for a month. The City Council rejected this initial proposal, as it is a tourist attraction and the city's museum headquarters.
The significantly shortened second request was accepted. This is an extraordinary fact since this valuable heritage building is usually loaned for free when sporadically hosting non-public events. The rental, provided for in municipal regulations, has also been secured to ensure the preservation of the heritage.
Authorities are already working on the security plan. Not only due to the nature of the guests but also because of the extremely high value of the jewelry being presented. Guests will be staying at various luxury hotels in the north of the island, such as the Formentor hotel. Arnault's group (LVMH) also controls another luxurious hotel in Deià - La Residencia, the hotel that belonged to magnate Richard Branson - through its hotel subsidiary Belmond.
Bellver Castle is a very distinctive building, an essential postcard of Mallorca and a cultural asset since 1931. It is a Gothic fortification built in the early 14th century by order of King James II of Mallorca.
Like a giant stone ring (following the jewelry metaphor), it is Spain's only castle with a complete circular floor plan and has been used in history as a royal residence, fortification, and political prison. In its chambers, figures such as the deputy and enlightened writer Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos (from 1802 to 1808) or the last Republican mayor of Palma, Emilio Darder, were imprisoned.
The event is taking shape at a time when Mallorca is immersed in a noisy and confusing public debate about the limits of tourism, with tourist spending being one of the discussion elements.
The luxury segment grew by 10% in Mallorca in 2024 and is expected to continue increasing. Luxury hotels in Mallorca had an occupancy rate of around 90% during the high season, with a strong influx of the American market to the island.