Post by tinkerbells1 on Feb 28, 2008 9:35:45 GMT
The Fortress of Isabel II at la Mola
Its strategic situation at the mouth of the Port of Mahon made it a key point in the island’s defence system.
The Fortress of Isabel II, built between 1850 and 1875 on one of the most beautiful sites on the island of Menorca, is one of the finest examples of late nineteenth-century military architecture. Its strategic situation at the mouth of the Port of Mahon made it a key point in the island’s defence system. Nowadays, the fortress, which is also known as La Mola, represents an invaluable historical-military legacy set in a natural enclave of the first order.
The fortress was built in response to unrelenting pressure from the British, who threatened to return to the island and use it as a naval base in their skirmishes with the French to gain control of the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean waters were not calm after the Napoleonic Wars concluded in 1815 and the intersection of French and British sea-lanes had caused tensions to mount.
The fortress was outdated even before the construction work was finished. Instead of old-fashioned muzzle-loading guns, powerful breech-loading artillery was being designed with bored barrels to stabilise projectiles and improve accuracy.
This meant that the island’s entire defence system had to be reconceived and so a series of coastal artillery batteries were erected outside the walled fortification which defended the island’s coasts from a distance. With their powerful projectiles, they were capable of warding off any kind of invading vessel.
The periodic complementary activities organised inside the fortress include astronomical observations, photograph contests, exhibitions and antique markets.
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. (in April)
Admission: Adults €7. Children under eleven free.
Complete 2½-hour guided tour: €2
Audioguides are available for those who wish to tour the fortress and get to know its salient features on their own.
PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR ANY CHANGES IN TIMES/DATES/PRICES www.fortalesalamola.com
Its strategic situation at the mouth of the Port of Mahon made it a key point in the island’s defence system.
The Fortress of Isabel II, built between 1850 and 1875 on one of the most beautiful sites on the island of Menorca, is one of the finest examples of late nineteenth-century military architecture. Its strategic situation at the mouth of the Port of Mahon made it a key point in the island’s defence system. Nowadays, the fortress, which is also known as La Mola, represents an invaluable historical-military legacy set in a natural enclave of the first order.
The fortress was built in response to unrelenting pressure from the British, who threatened to return to the island and use it as a naval base in their skirmishes with the French to gain control of the Mediterranean.
Mediterranean waters were not calm after the Napoleonic Wars concluded in 1815 and the intersection of French and British sea-lanes had caused tensions to mount.
The fortress was outdated even before the construction work was finished. Instead of old-fashioned muzzle-loading guns, powerful breech-loading artillery was being designed with bored barrels to stabilise projectiles and improve accuracy.
This meant that the island’s entire defence system had to be reconceived and so a series of coastal artillery batteries were erected outside the walled fortification which defended the island’s coasts from a distance. With their powerful projectiles, they were capable of warding off any kind of invading vessel.
The periodic complementary activities organised inside the fortress include astronomical observations, photograph contests, exhibitions and antique markets.
Opening hours: 10.00 a.m. to 2.00 p.m. (in April)
Admission: Adults €7. Children under eleven free.
Complete 2½-hour guided tour: €2
Audioguides are available for those who wish to tour the fortress and get to know its salient features on their own.
PLEASE CHECK THE WEBSITE REGULARLY FOR ANY CHANGES IN TIMES/DATES/PRICES www.fortalesalamola.com