Son Corró

The standing columns dominate the site, but they form part of a reconstruction. They were re-erected during restoration work in the 1990s. Their arrangement does not simply show an ancient interior preserved unchanged.

Their purpose is also open to archaeological debate. One interpretation sees them as roof supports; another links individual pillars to religious use. Keep that uncertainty in mind as you look around. You can examine the joints between the large stone drums closely without climbing on them.

Son Corró became famous through three bronze cattle heads discovered here in the late 19th century. Usually called the bull heads of Costitx, they are described by the Museo Arqueológico Nacional as two bulls and a young female animal. The museum dates them to the 5th–3rd centuries BC, and places the sanctuary’s use between the 5th century BC and the Roman conquest.

The heads are associated with religious beliefs, but they do not provide a definitive explanation of every ritual. Nor were the columns necessarily arranged exactly as they stand today.

The originals are in Madrid, at the Museo Arqueológico Nacional. The local council lists replicas at the Casal de Cultura in Costitx. If you would like to see them there, check visiting arrangements first. The original finds are not displayed at the ruins.

Son Corró is beside the Ma-3121, around 1.5 kilometres from Costitx. The small unmade parking area is not a large visitor car park. It was empty when I visited, but that does not mean it always will be.

I would allow 15–30 minutes for the site. Sturdy shoes help on the stony ground. In summer, come early and bring water. The council is working to preserve the site, so follow any barriers and notices when you arrive.

Without a car, you can reach Costitx on TIB bus route 304. The onward route follows a country road, not a guaranteed walking route with a continuous pavement.

Costitx is a natural next stop. To continue exploring archaeological sites, visit the talayot of Son Fred, where you can see the surviving interior and its central pillar. Sencelles and Sineu also fit well into a drive through the Pla. Son Corró suits anyone happy to spend time looking at a few ancient stones. Its importance lies more in its finds and unresolved questions than in the size of the ruins.

Sources: Costitx council — places of interest, Museo Arqueológico Nacional — bull heads of Costitx, Museum — dating the bronze sculptures and Costitx council — conservation of Son Corró.

The small centre of Costitx is a good place for a short wander through the lanes and a coffee break. Friedhelm’s photographs show the church square and the surrounding houses.