SES FEIXES

SES FEIXES & THE "PORTALS DE FEIXES "

This is the second most important humedal of the island (after las salinas) called "Ses Feixes" that translated would be something like " bench-covers ". A variety of flora and fauna very typical of this zone that is in full process of conservation. The location is closely together of the Beach of Talamanca and of the Avenue on August 8, just behind that we might name the "mile of gold" of the City of Ibiza.

Ses Feixes was a former marsh that was occupying great part of the acquaintance as "Plà de Vila", which was formed by marine alluviums, with a level of very equal water to that of the level of the sea, where for this motive were a great level of sedimentation. It was an area gained the sea, to dedicate it almost exclusively to the agriculture devices.
Though it is not this the Ses Feixes's unique zone since there is one in the zone West that today it is named " Is Pratet " (though practically eliminated as humid zone), near to the Ibiza Harbour.

This zone of ses feixes with enough humid zones is in the zone of "plá of Vila" named as "Prat de ses Monges" (Nun´s Meadow). A curious system of the unique irrigation was in use in these lands, taking advantage of the great quantity of not salty water. When strong rains, and there was threatened of floods, a kind of hatches of wood (generally pine) they were opened to regulate the whole water towards the nearby sea.
The canes are one of the most numerous shrubs plants in this place. Their golden tonalities in the early morning it gives us a few golden almost surrealistic and even romantic sights.

The "portal de feixa" was a distinctive entry to these gardens. There became so popular that the first airport that was done in Ibiza, was constructed imitating these portals and still today At the Airport d'Es Codolar can meet perfectly preserved in the old terminal today´s general aviation little terminal building of the Airport. I remember in my childhood when departures or arrivals to or from the planes it was necessary for all passangers to pass through them.

Today already neither the level nor quantity of agriculture on those days exists anymore, but still some of them can be seen. And though the zone as already I have said it seems a bit abandoned, still there are people who lives in ses feixes and this way it is testified by the numerous houses that exist in the zone and that are inhabited.


A relaxing walk along this zone is advisable, to see this site that has turned into a kind of natural reserve, closely together of the City of Ibiza.

SANTA GERTRUDI´S CHURCH

CHURCH OF SANTA GERTRUDIS DE FRUITERA

As every November 16th Santa Gertrudis at the center of the Island celebrates its festivity, therefore today not only it will be the geographical center of the island but also the place to go for festivity. The image of the major altar of this church (picture above), that though externally it is not the typical white building, the certain thing is that indoors it has the typical style of the Ibicencan churches.

The Holder of this church is Saint Gertrudis Magna, a Holy German writer and Benedictine mysticism that was born in 1256. Many of her writings have disappeared (as her body since it is not known where her tomb is, though it is known that she died near Eisleben in Germany), but there exists an important legacy of her writings all of them written in Latin. During her life she lived in a monastery, where she devoted herself to the prayer and contemplation.

As a good rural from Ibiza church has not lack the "indispensable" details that are habitual in these churches. The Calvary (image of above) that is next to the entry, and the crosses that they indicate in the proximity of the temple and distributed by the whole village where there are located the points of the Vía Crucis. In the image it corresponds to the point XI.

One of the things that one find in these churches are the simplicity and the white walls of lime. This image of below is more evident due the simplicity of a small opened window where it entersa bit of light to illuminate one of the lateral chapels adorned with the sole image of a Saint (in this case mine, Saint Vicente Ferrer) that I believe is the most present of all the Saints in the churches of the island.

ES CORRALS DEN GUILLEM

CORRALS DEN GUILLEM

SANTA AGNÈS DE CORONA

In this zone exists big precipices known as " Es Amunts " (the high places). It seems that decades ago in this place seems was more crowded that now, but anyway not much more in any case, but specially for domestic animals as ships and goats. Still we can see the corrals that were used in those days. In the image of above we can cleary distinguish the silhouette of the Cap Nonó or Nunó, that can be considered one of the borders of this zone of " Es Amunts " and in the distance the Conejera island.

Due the big level of sea salt enviroment and the strenght of north and west winds the dry "sabinas" are twisted and dramatically dry. This one is a place where the nature is all the year round in its maximum height, owed principally to the existence of the "safareix" or water ponds, that some of them like balconies on the Mediterranean.

Sabinas (some of great size), pines and canes on the one hand, and an extensive vegetation that makes us forget the urban world in which we live every day. To come to this place is to come to a place of peace.

Some plants and trees do their balances in the very same edge of the abyss.

The walls of the ponds, which are normaly filed with water, do that the nature overflow, and from this walls it is possible to observe the blue of the sea.

Some of the corrals that stay we can see (today in disuse) were refuge for domestic animals as sheeps or goats.

Some lime ovens demonstrate that there was permanency in humanizes previously though was not permanent.

The wild ferns are not very typical in the island. But in some very concrete zones of " Es Amunts " they are important in number. This one is the case of the path to which we go down of this area of " Es Corrals den Guillem ".

For the way we meet autochthonous flora of the island. And mixed with this flora (case of the photography of below) we can find beautiful landscapes as the distant islands of Conejera that are perfectly visible from this zone.



The wild Orchids also are present in this zone, to half a way among the landscape of mountain and the spectacular ravines falling to the sea.

SANTA AGNE´S CAVE

EARLY CHRISTIAN CHAPEL OF SANTA AGNES

Located at 59 meters on the level of the sea, it is a place where the history and the legend intermingle.

A wide gallery intermingles with others narrow galleries. It seems that the first Christians in the Roman epoch, when the Christian worship was prosecuted, it was here where they meet to practising their cults.

During the 19th century, the Archduke Luís Salvador of Austria already was speaking in his chronicles of Balearics of this place. He was doing allusion to the most ample gallery with a great spring of crystalline waters and where every August 24th the peoples of the island were meeting. It seems to be that a precipice finished with the gallery and the spring, which certainly other historical sources also mention.

It is not known by accuracy when, but also one speaks of that a statue of wood of the Virgin who takes the name of the cave, which from here moved to the church always was returning to appear in the cave. Of here maybe it avenges the tradition of the famous picture (according to a few versions) or famous statue of wood (according to others) of venerated Saint Agnes, that on board of a ship in danger due to a heavy storm, the crew members promised to deliver in the port where they were coming healthy and safe and this it was precisely the Port of Portmany's Sant Antoni on August 24th, and that was this precisely the motive of San Bartolome's current festivity.