“Strolling through its markets, the fish market or the Cloister Market, along Isabel II Street, or visiting the Church of El Carmen beside the cloister of the same name is always a pleasure. Yet the harbour commands attention, revealing its islands in the water, each with its own story: Illa del Rei, Lazareto, Cuarentena and Pinto. More than five kilometres of coastline reach inland, inescapable and mysterious, even to anyone who pauses to imagine everything these waters have witnessed.” This is how the travel publication España Fascinante describes Maó in its article “Flying Over Five of Spain’s Oldest Cities” (in Spanish).
“Romans, Phoenicians and Celts, ancestors of iron and bronze, planted seeds that have travelled on the wind, drifting through sand and dust until they took root in the words of this text,” says the feature, which explores Santiago de Compostela, Cádiz, Maó, Lleida and Zaragoza.
The publication highlights the city’s eastern location and one of the Mediterranean’s most important natural harbours, explaining why Mahón was coveted and contested by so many peoples throughout its history. It traces early settlement to the Bronze Age and discusses the island’s talayots. The account also describes how Hannibal’s brother brought Menorca into the struggles of the ancient Mediterranean after taking an island previously associated with Greek and Phoenician influence.
Its brief historical overview continues to Charles III’s order to demolish Sant Felip Castle and the construction of La Mola Fortress under Isabella II.