In 1558, a Turkish fleet commanded by
Admiral Piali attacked Citadel. It was
on July 9 when the defenders fell to the Ottoman forces. Part of the population was deported to Istanbul under
rescue. A slow rebuilding of the city,
hampered by the arrival of the plague in 1646, began. During the Spanish Civil War, Menorca stayed
loyal to the Second
Republic. But, in 1939, with the Battle of Menorca, a group of French
confronted the Republican Army of Mahon and took Ciudadela (Citadel.)
So as not to confuse Citadel with other similar place names, the town is
formally called Ciutadela de Menorca, paralleling the capital of Mallorca.
The presence of
Talayotic archaeological remains within the municipality is noteworthy. The most famous and very unique building, and
a stop on all the tourist routes, des Tudons Naveta, is located on Mahon-Ciutadela Road. This is but one of the many archaeological
treasures found on Menorca.
In recent years, the Ministry of Environment, which has included the northern
coast of Menorca in proposed future national
parks, caused a great controversy among area residents. The full council voted against its inclusion.
Citadels climate is
typically Mediterranean, home to hot summers
and mild, but cool, winters. Being the
most northerly of the Balearic Islands, Menorca
sees about 500 millimeters of precipitation throughout the year. Also due to Menorcas northerly location,
winter winds can reach the 100 km/hour.
Citadel has an average temperature of about 15C. Temperatures range between 4C and 33C
throughout the year, but sometimes Menorca can
reach temperatures below 2C!
Citadel has a small natural harbor,
sheltered from the Tramontana, the harsh winter winds. A few times a year, Citadel experiences a
phenomenon called rissaga, where the sea level rises and falls dramatically,
sometimes causing damage to the boats anchored in the port, or in the case of
the summer of 2006, where extreme rissaga led to the several-day closing of
this very busy port for both passenger and cargo transport.
Citadel is characterized by its narrow streets, with curious names like Qui Not
Pass (That did not
happen), or Ses Voltes (Arches)
One of Citadels attractions lies in its
many beautiful beaches. On the west
coast of the island exist two small coves, Cala Blanca and Santandria, where
many neighborhoods have been established.
On the south coast, past the DArtruix Lighthouse, you will discover
Calan Bosch Son Xoriguer.
Beyond that, there is a longer pristine
stretch of the south coast where you will see Calan Turqueta, Son Saura, Es
Talai, Macarelleta, and Macarella, beautiful coves of turquoise water, with
beaches covered in pines and white sand.
On the more barren north coast, ravaged by the winter Tramontana winds,
we find the urbanized Cala Morell, and the pristine La Valle and El Pilar.
Citadel is a town on Menorca in the Balearic Islands of Spain. It is located on the west side of the island
and is the second most populous city on Menorca,
with 27,468 inhabitants in 2006. It was
the official seat of the Bishop of the island until the British occupation in
the year 1714.
Over the years, Citadel has had many different names, including Jamma, Nura,
Minerva, Iamo, Iamona, Medina,
and Minurka. But beginning in 1287,
following the incorporation of Menorca to the
Christian culture and European conquest of Alfonso III, that the current name,
Citadel, Latin (civitatella / civitas) for city, was imposed.
