Treasures from the origins
The island's prehistory can be divided into three main periods. The first is the "Dolmenic" period (2100-1600 B.C.), from which funerary structures have survived, most of them hypogea, i.e. caves cut into the island's cliffs, such as the high cliffs of Cales Coves, which contain almost 90 funerary chambers. From 1600 to 1050 BC, Minorca underwent a period known as "naviform", during which two types of structures were developed: "navettes d'habitat", very large buildings (16 to 25 m long, 5 to 7 m wide and up to 3 m high) of elongated shape, ending in a rounded or pointed apse; and navetes, collective tombs designed according to circular, rectangular, apsidal or oval plans, which owe their name to their slender shapes reminiscent of a ship's hull. The island's most famous is the Naveta des Tudons. But it is from the so-called "Talayotic" period (1050-123 BC) that the most evidence remains on the island. Such is their abundance and richness that the whole of Talayotic Menorca has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site! The key feature of this period is the talaiot, derived from the Catalan word talaia meaning watchtower. Serving at once as military fortresses, places of worship and observation towers, these stone edifices could reach 5 m in height and up to 26 m in diameter. Some of these towers stood alone, but many were the focal point of villages protected by imposing enclosures. At the heart of these villages are the taules, religious and community edifices composed of a central T-shaped structure formed by a large rectangular stone slab bearing an inverted, truncated pyramidal capital. Among the island's most famous sites are the villages of Son Catlar, one of the few to have preserved its Cyclopean defences intact, and Torralba d'En Salort, home to the highest taula on the island!
At the crossroads of influences
The monumental Catedral de Menorca is a superb example of the mixture of genres practiced by the Catalan counts. Its structure, which is longer than it is tall, is one of the hallmarks of Catalan Gothic, which is also recognized by its compact, smooth forms and formal purity. The Catalan-Aragonese Crown also endowed the island with a number of convents, whose superb cloisters can be admired, such as the former Convent of Sant Francesc de Maó, now home to the Museu de Menorca. This period also saw the growing power of the upper middle classes, who built mansions and palaces often organized around a magnificent central staircase. Baptized Case Signorili or Palaus, these beautiful residences are numerous in Ciutadella. They can be recognized by their silhouette of marble stone, a local limestone with golden hues. In terms of town planning, the Catalan-Aragonese Crown perpetuates the traditional pattern of large squares and parks where the flagship buildings of municipal power stand, with ajuntaments and consistorial huts at the forefront. During their long presence on the island, the British developed a powerful defensive system consisting of the famous Martello Towers. These small fortresses served as both observation posts and soldiers' barracks. Circular in plan, they rise up to 12 m and can be recognized by their thick walls and flat roofs, which serve as artillery platforms. These towers are complemented by forts and fortresses with imposing walls and astonishing mazes of underground corridors. The vast Fortalesa de La Mola and Fort Marlborough are the two most famous examples. And don't miss the Llatzeret de Maó. This was the first example of a hospital fortress in Spain. In terms of style, the British favored the Georgian style for their public buildings, with its symmetry and balance of proportions. In the residential sector, the English presence can be seen in the bow-windows adorning the colorful facades, the sash windows with frames usually painted green, and of course in the tradition of terraced houses with entrances marked by round arches. In the countryside, wealthy families built superb neo-Palladian mansions resembling ancient temples.
Between tradition and modernity
To delimit plots and protect crops from the wind, the island's inhabitants have built a network of dry stone walls several thousand kilometers long, even though the island is only 50 km long and 25 km wide! Plots of land communicate with each other via openings known as portells. Other rural treasures include the barraques and ponts de bestiar, round, stepped towers used to shelter livestock, and once again built in dry stone, i.e. without mortar. To cope with the extreme heat of summer, the island has also developed a vast system for extracting and storing water, as evidenced by the cisterns, winch wells and other water wheels. In the Alaior area, don't miss the many windmills, including the Moli del Carrer de Sa Bolla, which has preserved its superb spiral staircase. Small whitewashed houses with green shutters lining cobbled streets; large llocs with elegant arches and arcades overlooking vast agricultural estates... whatever the size of the dwelling, everything is designed with efficiency in mind. All of these elements inspire contemporary designers, who have no hesitation in rehabilitating llocs as part of agrotourism operations. The Hotel Menorca Experimental is a perfect example. Fascinated by the island's beauty, Argentine architect Luis Laplace created the Menorcan branch of the famous Hauser & Wirth gallery. On Illa del Rei Rey, the architect rehabilitated a former naval hospital, preserving its red-tiled roofs and brick walls, as well as its wooden beams and local stone floors. Bathed in light, the 1,500 m² of exhibition space also includes a sculpture garden, in dialogue with the remains of an early Christian basilica!
