The beautiful city of the west and former capital of the island of Menorca
The stately Ciutadella, the former capital of Menorca, hides a lot of history and stories, its stately streets with palaces, religious and historical buildings are a labyrinth worth visiting.
Located to the west, at the closest point to neighbouring Mallorca, at sunset and on very clear days we can see from any point or from the beautiful "Castell de Sant Nicolau" the mountains of the neighbouring island.
The "Castell de Sant Nicolau" is one of the eleven defence towers built by the British during their stay on the island.
Founded by the Romans with the name of Iamo, it was always the capital of the island until the arrival of the British with the Treaty of Utrecht, when the crown ceded Menorca and Gibraltar to the British Empire.
Surrounded by archaeological remains such as the Naveta des Tudons, Torretrencada, Torrellafuda that show that it was a human settlement since ancient times, Ciutadella has lived a thousand stories and its architecture, its people, words and customs attest to this.
Romans, Vandals, the Eastern Roman Empire or Islamic domination when it was called Medina Menurqa have shaped what it is today.
The latter defined the current configuration of the city, building it around the Mosque between the ninth and eleventh centuries.
Later in 1287 King Alfonso III expelled the Muslims on January 21, 1287 and renamed the city Ciutadella, a name that was already popular among its inhabitants.
That date is currently "the Diada de Menorca", a date on which the reconquest of Menorca is commemorated with different cultural acts.
Later, in 1362, on a fateful 9 July, the Ottoman admiral Pialí, known as Barba Roja, assaulted the city with no less than 15,000 men at a time when the population of Menorca did not exceed 10,000 inhabitants, of which only 4000 lived in Ciutadella.
After a bloody battle, the city was destroyed and 5000 people were captured or killed, the first of whom arrived in Constantinople as slaves and were ransomed by them.
That year is popularly known as "l'Any de sa desgracia", the Year of Misfortune and to commemorate such terrible events in the central Place des Born an obelisk was built in tribute to the people who disappeared or were killed by the Ottomans.
This square, that of the Born, which translates as palenque, was the scene of chivalric tournaments and others where the knights appointed by King Alfonso III to reside in Menorca and defend it from the recurrent attacks to which it was subjected, mediate their forces.
After the Islamic expulsion, the smallest of the Balearic Islands was repopulated with people from the Empordà in Girona, from Mallorca also with the same origin and some Genoese.
With the Treaty of Utrecht, the island of Menorca passed to the British Empire and it was then that the British, with the desire to erase vestiges of the past and also tempted by the large dimensions of the port of Mahón, moved the capital to the city of Mahón. the current capital of Menorca.
That was in the early 1700s and the arrival of the British left great marks on Menorcan culture, contributions that are still evident in the language, architecture and gastronomy.
Words such as "bòtil", bottle in Menorcan, "Jan" to designate a young woman, "mèrvils" to refer to the game of marbles or the famous "boinders" glazed balconies very common in Menorcan homes are of British origin.
From this beautiful enclave, to the west of the island and more specifically from its beautiful port, our boat departs the Fiesta Rojo, a traditional wooden boat, with two diaphanous and comfortable decks that travels along the coast of Ciutadella towards the south towards the virgin beaches.
The Fiesta Rojo sets sail daily from the pier and coasts to the Cap de Artrutx with the lighthouse of the same name to arrive and anchor in the beautiful cove visrgen called Cala'n Turqueta to enjoy its crystal clear waters and taste a paella with sea views.
Then it continues along the coast until you reach Macarella and Macarelleta, perhaps the two most famous Virgin Coves in Menorca.
To then make another stop on the way in Son Saura to enjoy its white sands and crystal waters for a long time, later set sail for the port of Ciutadella, but not before stopping to contemplate the most beautiful and transparent waters of Menorca.
When you arrive at the port you can enjoy a pleasant walk through Ciutadella if you feel like it, strolling around and visiting its varied commercial offer.
We hope that this article will help you to learn a little more about the history of Menorca.
See you on board!
