Defence towers on Formentera

The Sala de Cultura Sa Nostra in Sant Francesc Xavier will hold until May 31 the exhibition "Formentera defensa't. Torres costaneres, la defensa de les Pitiüses", organised by the Museu d'Etnografia de Formentera and the Arxiu d'Imatge i So del Consell d'Eivissa i Formentera with collaboration by Sa Nostra.

The exhibition includes a selection of photographs of the defence towers on Formentera taken by David García and includes two models by the historian, Santiago García, that show the exterior and interior architecture of these singular buildings.

The defence towers on Formentera were built in the XVIII century, extending the process of the creation of a system of coastal defence towers that had been started two centuries before on the island of Eivissa. The first one was the one at s'Espalmador, on the small island of the same name to the north of Formentera. Later the towers of sa Punta Prima, la Gavina, Cap de Barbaria and Pi des Català were built, that were prepared to incorporate artillery to serve not only as watch towers but also as active defence towers, although finally artillery proceeding from the Sant Francesc Xavier church was only installed in the tower Es Cap de Barbaria and Es Pi des Català. This defence system guaranteed the safety of the population during the XVII and XVIII centuries favouring the demographic growth of the population of Eivissa, and contributing to the consolidation of the process of repopulation of Formentera started at the end of the XVII century.

More information:

Sala de Cultura "Sa Nostra" de Formentera
C/ Jaume I, 17
Sant Francesc Xavier
Formentera
Tel. y Fax: 971 32 32 27

Times:
- From Monday to Friday from 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m.
- Saturday from 10.30 a.m. to 1.30. p.m..

Entrance free

Photo © BalearWeb: Torre de s'Espalmador

Date of publication: 18/05/2002

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