Santueri Castle
Santueri, its description
The Santueri Castle is located in the Serra de Llevant, in the municipality of Felanitx. It has a total area of 42,600 squared meters and is situated at the top of the mountain that shares its name, at a height of 423 m above sea level. This strategic location allows to control a wide area of land and numerous landing areas, among which is Portocolom, one of the most important ports in the Majorcan eastern coast. The topography and the walled system, adapted to the mountain's cliffs, converts the Santueri Castle in one of the three fortifications named as the rocky castles of Mallorca.
This area had a continuous use since prehistoric times, but almost all the now preserved castle's remains are of medieval origin. Since the beginning of the fourteenth century, the castle underwent numerous reforms, which substantially affected the remains belonging to Byzantine Period and to the Islamic Period, until then preserved.
Its walls, almost completely redone in 1348, had up to 370 battlements and currently have a length of about 300 m. Inserted in the stretches of walls, there are three square towers defending different points, and a circular tower, known as Tower of the Homage.
Also the castle had numerous defensive elements, as loopholes (that is, the long and narrow rectangular openings in the walls to shoot them), battlements or machicolations (that is, the structures on consoles in the form of parapet).
The interior space was adapted to withstand long sieges, with an area of land suitable for cultivation, numerous warehouses, a major hydraulic system consisting of at least six cisterns and a well, a chapel, a wood oven, several mills moved by animals, a kitchen, stables and numerous living spaces which, unfortunately, have not been preserved, but which are cited in the written sources regarding their continuous repairs.
In short, we are at a monument, declared of Cultural Interest in 1949, with historical and heritage values of 1st magnitude, pending reveal their secrets.
During the visit, you can admire, apart from the ruins, a spectaculars, large and magnificent views of Mallorca; and with propitious time, you can see the island of Cabrera, and even glimpse the island of Menorca.
santueri.orgWebsite:http://www.santueri.org/
