Menorca: Ciutadella de Menorca

Ciutadella de Menorca is the most beautiful town on Menorca (it’s not the capital, but it’s stunning in its cultural heritage and architecture). The settlement takes its origins in Talayotic Era at about 2000 BC. The city-proper was founded by Carthage as Jamma, and later conquered by the Romans in 123 BC and renamed Iamo. Following the fall of Rome, the city cycled through Vandal and Byzantine rule before the arrival of the Moors. Under Islamic rule, the city was known as Medina Menurqa and it served as the island’s capital and its only major urban center. The city’s current layout – a labyrinth of narrow, winding streets designed for shade and defense – is a direct legacy of this Islamic era. In 1287, King Alfonso III of Aragon conquered the island and the city was renamed Ciutadella. In 1558, the Ottoman army besieged the city and burned it to the ground. In the following centuries, Ciutadella cycled between Spanish, French, and British, who eventually moved the capital to Mahón. Placa des Born is the city’s main square with a 22m obelisk. Another gem is the Santa Maria Cathedral, built on the site of a former mosque in the 14th century, it is a prime example of Catalan Gothic architecture. And all around are pretty of cobblestone streets and pink-hues buildings – absolutely beautiful and a delight to explore around!