Walk around the city

URBAN CIRCUITS

A stroll through the streets of Ciutadella de Menorca

When visiting Menorca, besides enjoying the beaches, it is essential to take two tours; one of them is strolling through the Jewish quarter of Ciutadella. Not doing so is unforgivable, to the point where you won't be able to say you have been to this island without risking people not believing you—that is how essential this excursion through the old town of Ciutadella de Menorca is.

The old Renaissance mansions of this Menorcan town offer the image of the ancient Ciutadella which, like other cities of this era, was influenced by the cultural trends of the Mediterranean surroundings. As proof, the first thing one can see among the alleys of the old urban center is the memory of what was once a walled enclosure, which shows us the importance of this typically Mediterranean city that was the capital of the island until it was conquered by the English crown and the capital was moved in 1722. But the fact of having been the capital for several centuries left it the legacy that today grants it all the personality and nobility, standing out unmistakably from the other towns. The Plaça d'Alfons III (known as the Plaza de las Palmeras) is the point where the road that connects Ciutadella with Maó ends. At this crossroads, there is the old flour mill, called "Moli des Compte," recently restored. Starting from the square, we enter into the deepest and most intimate part of the ancient Ciutadella, of the Ciutadella inside the wall that protected it. Walking a little, we will discover an expansion that will surprise us as we see the first vestiges of artisanal buildings, with walls of a width unthinkable nowadays, and we will immediately be captivated by the labyrinth of alleys. It is recommended to visit buildings in the old town such as the "Iglesia del Santo Cristo," the "Palau Saura" (Saura Palace), the "Iglesia del Socorro," and the "Claustro del Seminario," the latter of which gives its name to the street where it is located. Leaving the Calle del Seminario, we head to the "Bastio de sa Font" along the street named Santa Clara. It is built on the last section of the wall that protected the Ciutadella, and its preservation is frankly good, largely thanks to the timely restorations and its own structural strength. Since when the wall was almost completely destroyed in the last century, this section was saved, and since it was built to protect one of the entrances to the city through the natural esplanade that forms following the cove of the port—a strategic point for the movement of people, mounts, carts, or large equipment—it is a must-visit. The place is splendid and has magnificent views in the surroundings, where one can appreciate the outer wall or the landscape of the port itself. Furthermore, inside the wall, and in the manner of a bunker, is the "Museo Bastio de sa Font," built in one of the restorations the outer wall underwent in the year 1677 when the section was about 120 years old. A visit to the museum is essential, as it always has very varied elements of the history and prehistory of the island and the passage of cultures through these lands. Continuing our walk, we head towards the "Palau de Can Squella"; we will find it on Calle Sant Sebastià. This palace is from the 13th century, but very close by we will find other buildings of Menorcan nobility, where the Palau de Martorell and Can Saura stand out, as well as the Albranca palace and that of the Dukes of Almenara Alta. The Diocesan Museum is located in the Iglesia del Roser. After this visit, following through the small city and if we are not lost in the labyrinth of alleys, we will continue to the cathedral, following the Calle del Rosario until the cathedral, through the so-called porta de la Llum of the cathedral itself, which is adorned with the coats of arms of Ciutadella and the Royal House of Aragon. It was built on the base of an ancient mosque, for which the minaret was transformed into a bell tower, and in its construction, the Gothic styles in the central part of the nave and Neoclassical and Baroque in the lateral ones are fused. The Casa Olivar is the seat of the bishopric, the highest ecclesiastical authority in Menorca, and is right next to the Cathedral, making its architecture worth noting. Taking the path of the Calle Mayor, we will arrive at the Plaza de es Born, where there is a small obelisk from the late 1950s erected to remember the year of the complete destruction of Ciutadella at the hands of the Turks who invaded it in the year 1558. Here we will enter the square to take a full turn observing the buildings facing this esplanade, and we will take full awareness of the importance this noble citadel once had; we will understand, or at least suspect, the greatness of this capital of a Mediterranean island. Upon seeing the greatness and nobility of these buildings, the need to know more about this great town and its long history will assail us. In this sense, we will be able to appreciate the palaces of Martorell, Torresaura, and Salort. On another of the sides of the square, we will see the Teatro Municipal de es Born and the Cercle Artístic of Ciutadella; both with a long cultural trajectory, they are an essential part of the programming of acts and cultural events throughout the year. Also noteworthy is the building of the Ajuntament de Ciutadella, which has been recently restored and today shows its majestic silhouette to the square and the port. It rises over part of the old city wall, popularly called "contramurada," just like the Teatro de es Born, right by the area of the barranco that overlooks the port, from where it can be appreciated in its full silhouette. Next to the town hall, one can see the upper part of the old wall and from there contemplate the magnificent views of the natural port known to all as "Baixamar" and the land area that forms the Pla de Sant Joan. At the other end of the square, almost opposite the town hall, is the Iglesia de Sant Francesc, another Franciscan convent, ending here this magnificent tour through the deep Ciutadella, through the noble and aristocratic Ciutadella. To give the body a rest, we move just by crossing the wide avenue that separates the Plaza de es Born from the esplanade, known to all as the Plaza de los Pinos, because it is completely shaded all year round by abundant Mediterranean pines, being a peaceful place for a rest. When the summer sun exhausts us, this shaded and wide space is like an oasis in the desert. If we continue along the avenue that separates the two squares, we can head to the Castle of San Nicolás, at the end of the avenue of the same name. In the distance, we will see the defense tower dating from the 17th century, built by the English at the mouth of the Ciutadella port next to the now-disappeared hermitage and lighthouse of San Nicolás. From this tower, the entire port and a large part of the coast are dominated. It is currently a municipally-owned museum.