Son Jordà, Ruberts' large property, is for sale for 7 million euros

PalmThe historic estate of Son Jordà, the most emblematic property of the Ruberts family in Sencelles and a key element in the village's formation, is for sale for 7 million euros. According to local residents, the houses of Son Jordà were acquired years ago by a group of businessmen from the Levante region of Mallorca who converted them into a hotel. This led to the gradual erosion of the previously close relationship between the former owners and the villagers. Now, Son Jordà is just one more of the large estates in the Pla de Mallorca region that are up for sale. These properties, located in almost every municipality of the Pla de Mallorca, are priced between 4 and 8 million euros. The most recent sale of a large estate was Son Company in Montuïri, but a quick search on real estate websites reveals the sheer number of properties currently for sale.

In the case of the Ruberts estate, it appears to have been put up for sale shortly before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, although the rural hotel business continued for a while. Therefore, while the business was operating, the asking price was around eight million euros, but as the months passed, this amount was gradually reduced, and the hotel business also closed permanently. Now, it's clear that the exterior of the estate is no longer being maintained. Weeds have taken over the various outdoor spaces.

The houses

The main building, an imposing stone manor house, preserves 15th-century structures and boasts centuries of history linked to the old Ruberts farmhouse. Over time, the estate became the most important property in the region and, by the 16th century, it appears in documents with its current name, Son Jordà. The architectural complex, adapted for use as a rural hotel, has 21 rooms, several common areas, relaxation zones, and a swimming pool. In total, it comprises 2,134 square meters of built space and almost 250,000 square meters of land.

Son Jordà is a key element in understanding the origin of the village. The toponym 'Ruberts' likely comes from a family that arrived from Tarragona, participated in the conquest of 1229, and received several farmhouses scattered between Pina and Sineu. The old farmhouse would eventually become the present-day Son Jordà, and as early as the 15th century, its owner, Guillem Gibert, was denouncing the neighbors who were building paths without permission, grazing their livestock, and cutting firewood on his land. During the following centuries, the property passed through different hands and underwent divisions and parceling, especially from the 18th century onwards, when the houses that form the current nucleus of Ruberts began to be built. The property also plays a significant role in the religious history of the village. At the end of the 18th century, the Sard family donated part of the land to build the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, inaugurated in 1770 and enlarged a hundred years later. The church, together with the houses of Son Jordà that cling to it, still form the architectural and heritage heart of Ruberts today.

Ruberts, half-hidden behind the large town of Lloret, has a population of around 26 inhabitants today. Thus, if Son Jordà shaped the future of the village for centuries, it has also shaped its present, since with 21 rooms, the estate alone can outnumber the entire population of the rest of the village. These are just some of the curiosities and figures that also define the Pla de Mallorca.