NECROPOLIS AND MUSEUM OF PUIG DES MOLINS

The history of this necropolis does not date from yesterday! It is indeed this hill that the Phoenicians chose around the seventh century BC to bury their dead. The hill takes its name from the mills(molins in Catalan) that have stood on its summit since the 14th century. It was not until the archaeological campaign that began in 1903 that a considerable amount of Phoenician, Punic and Roman material was excavated. Spreading out on a total of not far from 5 hectares, this necropolis is the vastest and the best preserved Phoenician-Punic necropolis of the western Mediterranean basin. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1999, it is undoubtedly the most important archaeological site of the Pityuses Islands, and constitutes an essential reference point for researchers: by studying architecture and ancient elements, they should be able to reconstruct the history of the city and the island. After extensive renovation work, the Puig des Molins Museum reopened in 2013. The visit is organized in two parts. On the one hand, the archaeological museum which exhibits real Phoenician and Punic treasures, including the famous bust of the goddess Tanit, which luckily was not taken away by the tomb robbers and other treasure hunters of past centuries. On the other hand, you can visit the necropolis of Puig des Molins itself. A highly instructive stopover!