Witnesses of Time: The fascinating towers and watchtowers of Minorca

Interested in buying a house, country house, or apartment in Menorca and have started to explore the fascinating landscapes of your soon to be new home? It may be of interest to you that this little Balearic Island is home to numerous historical towers and watchtowers that were once used as lookouts and defending the local population against their enemies. The Tower of d'Addaia is just one of those towers waiting to be discovered by you. Our blog will give you a short introduction to some of those structures as well as presenting you with one of our special properties for sale in beautiful Fornells. 

Discover the many towers, primarily along Menorca’s coastline of Menorca

The coastline towers can be divided into three different categories. The earliest are the medieval towers dating back to the 14th century usually found in proximity to a farmhouse served as a refuge and to defend against marauders or potential pirate attacks.

Then came the watchtowers, which began appearing in the 16th century, and by means of fire or smoke signals prewarned the local inhabitants of imminent attack. If you wish to learn more about the island's history, the local real estate agent Engel & Völkers Menorca recommends visiting the watchtowers on Mount Toro, Binisermenya tower near the capital city of Mahón, and the watchtower of Artrutx near Ciutadella.

The third category are the coastal defense towers, which were built at the end of the 18th century and served against threat of attack from enemy ships. There are 15 coastal defense towers in Menorca, built first by the Spanish and then by the English who conquered Menorca in 1798. If you are interested in the towers from this period, many of which have been restored, both the Torre de Alcaufar, the Torre de San Nicolás in Ciutadella, as well as the Torre de Fornells and the Torre d'Addaia, are good starting points according to estate agent Engel & Völkers Menorca. The island’s past is very colourful and absolutely fascinating, and obviously reflects in the Menorca of today. Begin the big adventure and start searching for your little piece of the island today with Engel & Völkers Menorca!

The impressive Torre d'Addaia, also known as the Tower of Cala Moli, is easily accessible from Port d'Addaia. This tower stands at a height of 8.25 meters and was built in 1800 by British Captain D'Arcy. Originally, it consisted of a ground floor with a cistern and two areas for storing gunpowder, provisions, and spare parts, an intermediate floor, and a terrace. Between 1973 and 1974, the Torre d'Addaia was restored and is now privately owned. If architecture and military history fascinate you, visiting the diverse historical towers in Menorca is a no brainer.

Buy a Property in Menorca and Explore the Towers and Watchtowers of the Island.

Discover at your own pace the many towers that were built on the island 

Take your time and discover the many faces of Minorca after completing the purchase of your new property with Engel & Völkers, we have offices in Mahon and Ciutadella and our expertise is island wide. Check out this fabulous semi-detached house in Fornells and very close to the Torre de Fornells with estate agent Engel & Völkers Menorca. The property is just one of the fantastic properties for sale on the island today. The house has a holiday rental licence (ETV) and the potential to earn great returns on investment. The layout is over 3 levels and the design lends to brilliant sea and countryside views and a bright and airy home filled with natural light. Rooms include open plan living room and kitchen, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, laundry, and a big undesignated space on the top floor. And there is plenty of outdoor space on one of the two terraces or balconies to relax and enjoy the sea and summer breeze in your very own home on Minorca. 

Want to know more? Or are you looking for something else? Properties for sale on the island are diverse in every way, come along and talk with the experts. Engel & Volkers at your service on Menorca from the very beginning to well after you have the keys to your new life in your hands!