Palma’s Festa de l’Estendard, which takes place on 31 December in the Plaza de Cort, is one of Europe’s oldest civic ceremonies and Majorca’s longest-running public commemoration. The celebration commemorates King James I’s arrival in 1229 and the end of Muslim rule, ushering in the Kingdom of Majorca. 

It features deep medieval roots, a non-religious civic nature, and its central symbol: the Royal Standard of the Conquest. For over 700 years, it has evolved to reflect new contexts, but it retains its essence of honouring Majorca’s origins. 

The schedule includes the raising of the Standard, a medieval procession to La Seu, mass and traditional dances, and a return to Cort followed by a final lifting of the Standard and reciting the poem, La Colcada. The festival stands as a powerful symbol of historical memory, civic identity, and cultural continuity, blending medieval ritual with modern ceremony.