After his conquest of the island, James I decided to demolish the great mosque of Medina Mayurca (the name given to the city of Palma de Mallorca by the Moors that resided there). In its place, he ordered a temple dedicated to Saint Mary to be built. The decision was reportedly driven by a prayer he had made to the saint during a heavy storm at sea as he traveled to the island to conquer it. As such, he saw the cathedral as a veneration of her goodwill in saving the lives of the sailors on the expedition. Work began at some point between 1276 and 1311, led by the architect Ponç des Coll, and continued for almost 400 years, with contributions from many architects. The main portal was blessed in 1601 and the main façade was completed at the end of the 19th century by the architect Jaun Bautista Peyronnet.