Citadel of Menorca
A good port different from all the others, and a beautiful population located in the extreme west of the island. Citadel is the second population of Menorca by inhabitants and soothes of the bishopric of the island. It ran the capitalidad of the island until the English occupation year 1714.
Throughout the centuries he has received numerous and different as sonorous names as Platen press, Jammona, Nura, I lick, Lamona, Medina or Minurka. But he was as of the 1287, as a result of the incorporation of Menorca to the Christian culture with the conquest of Alfonso III, when the present name prevailed.
In year 123 before Christ, the Romans conquered the Balearics. In the zone delimited by the stroll of Sant Nicolau and the Camí de Baix have been abundant archaeological rest with Roman mosaics, metal graves, ceramics and small pieces. In centuries III and IV all the island was conquered by the vandals and later, incorporated to the Byzantine Empire in year 534. Since the end of century VII the Muslims began to devastate it. During the Muslim domination, the old Jammona was the Medina Menurka, the capital of the island, where almojarife resided.
After a prosperous time of vasallaje (1231-1287) the territory was conquered by king Alfonso III. Little it was of the Muslim culture. The population was sold like slave and the Earth, repopulated by Catalan.
Citadel underwent the 1348 plague, the antiJewish violences of 1291, two civil wars in century XV, and when it recovered of all this, in 1558 it carried out a terrible battle. A powerful Turkish Navy, composed of 140 ships, with 15,000 soldiers, surrounded during eight days to the city, that only counted with few hundreds of men to defend itself. The resistance was bloody but useless. The 3,099 inhabitants of Citadel who survived the defeat were transferred like slaves to Turkey. Very few returned.
Century XVII was prosperous by the construction of churches, convents, and palaces of families who were become rich. Not they did not lack, either, crisis demographic, like that it caused the 1652 plague, which it produced hundreds of deads, the pirate invasions…
Spanish Corona lost its dominion in 1708, when an English square occupied the island and the treaty of Utrecht of 1713 consolidated the British occupation. The French domination from 1756 to 1763 produced an European cultural current of much importance. The following stage of Spanish dominion will do possible to restore the own bishopric in 1795. And century XIX meant waking up of Citadel from the agricultural population towards an industrial economy.
Its beauty
Citadel owns a small natural harbor of very particular and extended form, safe from the Tramontana. he is one of the most beautiful and spectacular ports of all the Mediterranean Sea, A few times to the year takes place the called phenomenon rissaga (To know + on rissaga), that empty totally the water port and later a wave raises the level until over the original one, arriving to flood the environs and to cause damages to the boats searched in the port.
Citadel is also characterized by its narrow streets, that begin in the “Plaça of ses Palmeres” and finish in the Cathedral of Ciutadella.
But one of attractive the tourist ones of Citadel resides in its numerous and pretty beaches. In the coast the west of the island numerous urbanizations around small coves can be found, arriving at the South coast, passed the D'Artruix light, we found Bosch Cove and Are Xoriguer, also built-up, and further on, in the virgin piece more length of the South coast, we found Turqueta Cove, Are Saura, Is Talaier, Macarelleta and Macarella, precious turkish water coves, pines until the beach and white sand.
In the North coast, more barren, knocked down by the tramontana in winter, we found the built-up Morell Cove, the virgins the Vall and the Pillar.
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The best routes of Citadel
Historical center the Historical Center of Ciudatella is concentrated around the well-known place as It is Born, old parade ground of the medieval citadel and where the City council, the Palace of Torresaura and Theater DES Born are shown, between numerous monuments. Their narrow streets, of Arab and medieval origin, concentrate a great amount of monuments deserving special mention the Cathedral, the Roser and the Palace of Martorell, located in the neighborhood of the Place of the Cathedral.
Obelisk DES Born is located in the place that gives name him, and was raised in century XIX in memory of the great resistance of the inhabitants of the population in 1558 before the sacking of the Turkish pirates, who devastated the City and prisoners took to their inhabitants.
Theater DES Born Located in Place DES Born, next to the Palace of Torresaura, is one of the more important cultural buildings of the City, where spectacles are realized throughout all the year numerous.
Episcopal palace is a beautiful building of located neoclassic style next to the Cathedral of Ciutadella. It owns a beautiful landscaped patio and it emphasizes his sensational cover.
The Old Roser church of our Lady of the Roser, constructed between end of century XVII and principles of the XVIII. One is located in the street of the Roser and emphasizes by his tower bell tower of century XIX.
Cathedral of Well-known Ciutadella like Cathedral of Santa Maria, is located in center Historical of the City, Place of the Cathedral, and is the more important gothic building of the Island of Menorca. It was commanded to construct by king Alfonso III in century XIV, in honor to the Virgin Maria, and one rose on the rest of one old Arab mosque.
Martorell palace Constructed at the end of century XVII, is one of the most monumental buildings of the Historical Center of the City. In their architecture, of clear Italian reminiscences, their oval balconies deserve special mention and the small windows of their floor superior.
Dog Saura is a small palace of colonial baroque style located in the street of the Santíssim, constructed between end of century XVII and principles of the XVIII. From his origins it belonged to the Saura family, of there his name, to the year 2000, year in which was acquired by the City council.
Church of Socorro Is a temple of Renaissance style located in the street of the Bisbe Vila, well-known popularly like street of the Seminari. Form leaves from the old Convent of San Agustín, at present soothes of the Diocesan Museum of the City.
Palace of Torresaura is before located the Consistorial House in Place DES Born, and was raised in century XIX. It is a huge building of neoclassic style with clear French and Italian influences that it emphasizes by his monumental facade.
Mill DES Comte Rehabilitated in 1993, is one of the few harineros mills that are conserved in the Island of Menorca. It was constructed in century XVIII and is formed by the own circular mill of plant and a back-to-back building of two plants that had the functions of warehouse and house.
Bastió de Sa Font Is the unique rest that is conserved of the old wall that surrounded the population, used to defend one of its covers of access. It was risen in century XVII and it is a monumental construction whose warehouses were used in their origins to store the wheat.
Castell de Sant Nicolau Is a small military fortification with form of octagonal tower, constructed by the Spaniards at the end of century XVII and used to defend the entrance to the Port of Ciutadella.
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Related articles: - North Menorca - South Menorca - Beaches of dream in Menorca - A week in Menorca |
