WORSHIPS AND FORTRESS ON THE PAST

FORTRESS IN THE CHURCH OF SANT ANTONI DE PORTMANY

I have already spoken before that the oldest churches of the island were originally built as temples but mainly as robust and strong fortresses, where people from the village and surrounding areas came not only for attending the holy mass but also was the place they were gathering in case of threat for moorish invasions.

Invasions came by sea, and here at the Portmany port (Portmany was the name of this bay after the conquest of the Kingdom of Aragon, and comes from its former Roman name "Portus Magnus") was an important target of those invasions of the Turkish and Arab pirates, where the invaders were attacking with mercilessly the farms, villages and especially to their inhabitants that made them their slaves. That´s why were so crucial that the church as main building had to be well defended, so that´s why its square and strong tower (the only square shaped defence tower of the island) had to hold powerful guns, as cannons that protected the population, from the barbarians incursions. 

Undoubtedly this tower located at one side of the church building is looks as that of any other castle. And this was where the population was feeling much safer on attacks. This tower dates from the sixteenth century and from there by sounding a sea conch shell, warned the population of the imminent danger of the incursions that was about to stalk people, making to everyone was running to take refuge here.

The guns had a range of about 4 kilometers, far enough to protect the harbor and able to sink any invader ship. Still at this temple we can see a moat between the bell tower down to the front door of the temple, where the population received the invaders by pouring through it, large amounts of boiling oil when they were trying to go into the temple. and of course helping this way to repel the attempted entry. Anyway the doors were made of iron, in order to prevent be burned and thus destroyed. Today the guns have not anymore the wide visibility that they had then, now great buildings surround this temple, as this town now is an important tourist resort and makes the church to be a real miniature.

Slowly, as the threat of invasions were diminishing, the temple left his defensive character to become gradually in religious and worship temple.

And then after the main steeples were built, in Sant Antoni Abad the bell tower has two bells named after Angela and Mary, the first because it was used to play the Angelus hours, meanwhile the other used to call the Mary prayer during late in the afternoon.
 For this reason in the ancient worship temples of Ibiza most of them that exercised that function do not have windows and if thick white walls (except for the tower is made of stone and was never painted white).

WATCHTOWER OF PUNTA DE SES PORTES

SA PUNTA DE SES PORTES

Located at the tip of Ses Portes, or translated would tip of the doors, and that is that this point is one of the two most southern of Ibiza and is therefore the gateway to it from the south. Hence came many dangerous hazards privateering raids that shook with fear to the inhabitants of the island. Therefore a strategic point to use it as a surveillance. Today we can see just below the tower, a group of varadero houses for fishermen as small docks where some local people save their small boats.

This tower is in a rocky area, between the beaches of Cavallet and Mitjorn (traditionally known as salinas). During the summer growing a plant species with beautiful white flowers adorning a bit, the desolate landscape of this place. Sand and rocks are only mixed with some native plants and junipers called here "sabinas".

This tower was one of the few on the island to be armed with canons and guns, as its strategic location was vital to prevent hazards and from reaching the main city. Their presence is dated around the sixteenth century, and as we see in the picture below its seaward views here are stunning, because the area looks to "Es Freus" in that little string of islands between the main island and Formentera, from here it´s possible to see the display that had the towers of ses Portes and the s'Espalmador tower, two towers that were vital to the safety of the island. In the picture below you can also see the lighthouse islet des Penjats, or what is the same, "the hanged" and that there is precisely where the pirates were executed.

WATCHTOWER OF ES SAVINAR

THE PIRATE´S WATCHTOWER
(LA TORRE DEL PIRATA)

Immortalized in the famous novel written by Vicente Blasco Ibanez, this tower was the star buildings of the novel "los muertos mandan" "the dead command," set in rural Ibiza in the early twentieth century but also takes parts in the capital of Mallorca. The actual name of the tower is "des cap des Jueu" or "des Savinar".

It is located directly opposite the stunning islands of Es Vedra and Vedranell. Es vedrá reaches near the 400 meters high, and it´s said that has a great magnetic power. Definitely a special place, a mythical island where once the Father Palau, was a hermit there in his religious reflections. More recently is alleged to be the base of alien spacecraft. In any case with or without spacecrafts, these islets are very impressive.

This tower that once served as a watchtower against the enemies of the islands as the pirates, and from here the population was warned when the danger came near, to refuge and hide them in to the nearest defensive towers of the towns or to the fortresses churches. It enjoys a wide and impressive view because is located more than 200 meters in a stunning cliff in the Cap des des Jueu, quite close to the mythical "Atlantis" in one side and the cove of Cala D'hort in to the other. In 1753 the construction was completed and is now a place to be visited especially in the evenings where you stunning sunsets can be watched from here, also on days when visibility permits, the coast of the Iberian peninsula belong to the province of Alicante can be also easyly seen.

WACHT TOWER OF SALT ROSSA

 TORRE DE SA SAL ROSA O DES CARRAGADOR DE SAL 

 

The history of Ibiza is full of raids, especially from pirates, so, anxiety filled its inhabitants on those days, and to avoid those dangerous attacks on the population of the island, the inhabitants built around the coast a serie of defense towers that are now as silent witnesses of those dangerous times. The name of this tower has changed over its long history, before was called among other names "Torre des des Carregador" or "Carregador roxo vei".

This tower was built on the XVI century, located almost in the southeast of the island, guarded the entrance to the city from the south. This tower was designed to protect the inhabitants of the area and as well the salt mines workers in case of attack. The Tower could shelter up to 200 people inside. Along with the Torre de Ses Portes were designed to cover the entrance to the city by the south.

 This tower is the closest to Ibiza salt mines, and one of its names, the salt rossa (pink salt) refers to the proximity of saltmaking ponds with this name. Is located at one end of the long Playa den Bossa, on a small and rocky hill which dominates the den Bossa beach. From that place we can admire the fabulous views of Dalt Vila which appears far in the distance.

 

The sea the place where came a lot of livelihood for many families, as well as such dangers came from there too, such dangers for people who resided on the island. And those Towers as giants, stand vigils and the watchtowers, some armed with powerful guns or others as mere lookouts warned by smoke to the population that danger was approaching.   

 

As a peculiarity should be noted that is the unique tower available in Ibiza that had a home usage. It is visible from here the nearby island of Formentera and is located in an area called "la xanga". Here too was where there was a salt charger, hence one of its denominations. This charger with salt, then stood further south in the area of Sa Canal (see next entry). Between 2007 and 2008 this tower was refurbished due it was partially damaged, and it is noteworthy that it is the oldest of the island.

It´s really near of the Salt ponds and as well to the Ibiza city, which means is also near of the Ibiza Airport. That´s why sometimes we can see some aircrafts flying around. The tower is only 20 meters above sea level. It is said that in this tower he hid for a time of civil war the poet Vicente Alexandre, and also this Tower was engineered by Juan Bautista Calvi in 1,575

PORTINATX TOWER

TORRE DE DEFENSA DE PORTINATX

Ibiza is an island, being situated at the crossroads of continents, near the coast of Africa and Europe and is a strategic crossroads of civilizations, an ideal location for the raids of pirates and other elements needed for the protection of its people in some ways self-defense to avoid these most dangerous attacks from outside and both instilled panic to its peaceful inhabitants. Many romances and legends mention some of these terrible attacks and abductions of its peaceful inhabitants were uprooted and were treated as slaves to the Berbers, Turks and Africans.

For that reason, built along the coast of Ibiza, some watchtowers to alert the public as soon as they could see an enemy ship approaching to the coast of the island. Specifically this tower is the northernmost of the island. It is located in the port of Portinatx, XVIII century and curiously, it's the least known of them all. It is located on a share of 45 meters and there is a nice view over the coast of Na Xamena. Unfortunately it is in an area urbanized wildly, but it is particularly interesting visit. Their features are similar to the Torre des Cap des des Sabinar or des Joeu in Cala D'hort. The original Carlton we have anything left on the tower. Never had artillery and was used only as a watchtower .

DEFENSE TOWERS

DEFENSE TOWERS

The coasts of Ibiza are surrounded by this towers that were build when the danger came from the sea, specially Pirates. All of them are strategically located with a beautiful and very wide view to the sea.

Today I would like to talk about three of them.

May be the most spectacullar one is the Torre des Sabinar, but the real name is Torre des Jueu, because the place is known as Punta des Jueu. It´s also know as "Torre del Pirata" (Pirate´s Tower) because the famous spanish writter Vicente Blasco Ibañez, in his novel "los muertos mandan" (the deads are give the orders), placed the tower in his novel with that name.
Spectacular views of Es Vedrá and Vedranell.

The "Torre de ses portes", is located at very south of the island, facing the small islands between Ibiza and Formentera, was build on the XVII century. but wee see it as it was on the XVIII century. Very nice views from Es Freus and Formentera.

The Tower den Rovira o de Compte is located on the west of the Island, and very close to some small islands. The musslims pirates took refuge on those islands before their attacks, So was urgently necessary to build this tower. You can see the islands of Conejera, Bosque & Espartar.