Discover Fornells
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LA MAYOR FLOTA DE BARCOS EN MENORCA
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PLACES OF INTEREST

Sant Antoni Castle
The castle of Sant Antoni is the genesis of the town in the bay of Fornells, a strategic enclave on the island, which was born linked to this fortification. The construction of the castle began in 1637, during the reign of Philip IV, until 1971. The castle was square in shape, approximately thirty metres long and twelve metres wide. At the four ends there were four bastions with the names of the four evangelists.
Inside there was a modest chapel, storage rooms, a large cistern, living quarters for the troops and the quartermaster's office. In the centre was a small parade ground. This fortification was destroyed in 1782, shortly after the island returned to Spanish hands, by order of Charles III. It has now been restored and several underground galleries and the remains of a bastion have been preserved. It was thanks to the construction of the Castle of San Antonio in the port in the 17th century that the town of Fornells was born.
Torre de Fornells
La Torre de Fornells es una de las muchas torres de defensa que rodean la costa de Menorca. La de Fornells fue construida entre 1801 y 1802, en el último período de dominación británica, con el objetivo de vigilar la entrada del puerto de Fornells, impedir el desembarco de barcos enemigos y proteger el Castillo de San Antonio.

Iglesia de San Antonio Abad
La iglesia de San Antonio Abad de Fornells, es una iglesia situada en el número 2 de la Calle de las Escoles y ejerce como parroquia de la localidad. Recibe su nombre del monje y santo cristiano San Antonio Abad. La Iglesia ya XVII, se da la fecha de 1639 como el año de su construcción, para dar servicio al pequeño arrabal que daba servicio al Castillo de San Antonio si bien con el aumento de población que experimento Fornells fue ampliada en el siglo XVIII.


Ermita de Lourdes
La ermita de Lourdes es una pequeña ermita que aprovecha una cueva natural. Está situada en el extremo norte de la localidad de Fornells, en un camino que parte del aparcamiento que hay situado al final de la Calle de la Tramontana, y que asciende en dirección oeste para dirigirse hacia la Torre de Fornells.


El pueblo y el puerto
Una localidad marinera de apenas 1.000 habitantes que, en tiempos, fue fundamental para la defensa de la isla frente a las incursiones de los piratas, gracias a su bahía natural. Un puerto seguro para las embarcaciones de la época y que hoy sigue regalando algunas de las estampas más típicas de la isla. En cuanto al urbanismo, Fornells es el típico pueblo mediterráneo, con estrechas calles, casas encaladas, con puertas y ventanas de madera pintadas de vivos colores.


Los alrededores de Fornells
Desde el pueblo en bicicleta se puede fácilmente llegar a algunos de los puntos más emblemáticos de Menorca, como Cap de Caballería con su espectacular faro sobre un impresionante acantilado y su playa virgen de arena roja, o la urbanización de Playas de Fornells y la playa de cala Tirant.



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HISTORY OF FORNELLS
Menorca had long been a top priority for the British, who longed for commercial maritime control of the Mediterranean and needed a supply point for their ships. Menorca lent itself to this purpose, with two large natural harbours in its orography. The port of Mahón, considered at the time to be the best port in the western Mediterranean.
And the port of Fornells, which was not insignificant in size. When in 1708 the British, commanded by Sir Edward Whitaker, began their conquest of Menorca from the north, they found a small fishing village that barely put up any resistance to their advance: Fornells. The War of the Spanish Succession had divided the Spanish between the Bourbons and the Austracists, and the inhabitants of Menorca, most of whom were Aragonese and far from their homeland, had never been particularly sympathetic to the French candidate, so they welcomed the British with open arms.
The British consummated their advance by bombarding the only defensive point in the north of Menorca, the Castle of San Antonio, which had been completed barely 40 years earlier. Faced with incessant British cannon fire, the Franco-Spanish squadron occupying the position soon surrendered, and so the town that had grown up around it, Fornells, began a period of prosperity under British occupation.
In fact, the British never understood how the Spanish Empire had undervalued Fornells.
The British consummated their advance by bombarding the only defensive point in the north of Menorca, the Castle of San Antonio, which had been completed barely 40 years earlier. Faced with incessant British cannon fire, the Franco-Spanish squadron occupying the position soon surrendered, and so the town that had grown up around it, Fornells, began a period of prosperity under British occupation.
In fact, the British never understood how the Spanish Empire had undervalued and neglected a place as important for the control of the Mediterranean as Menorca. In order to preserve it at all costs, the British built a system of defensive towers all along the coast. One of these towers was built not far from the still smouldering ruins of the castle of San Antonio. A circular keep, with a rotating platform at its top, it could be defended with a small contingent and was capable of repelling any incursion into the bay of Fornells.
The Fornells Tower is one of the many defence towers that surround the coast of Menorca. The Fornells Tower was built between 1801 and 1802, during the last period of British domination, with the aim of guarding the entrance to the port of Fornells, preventing enemy ships from landing and protecting the Castle of San Antonio. It consists of four levels. A cistern dug into the subsoil and waterproofed with mortar.
A ground floor where weapons, ammunition and foodstuffs were stored. The first floor housed the garrison. The upper floor, which was the artillery platform, where there was a small furnace to heat the cannonballs until they were red-hot so that they would set fire to enemy ships. Under the parapet of this work of war engineering, the village of Fornells prospered until it became something similar to what we find today. Although the British soldiers were expelled from the island after the signing of the treaty, the British never left the island completely, one way or another.
But why did the British stay? The answer seems obvious: a mild climate, a privileged coastal relief... but also a unique gastronomy thanks to its abundant fishing.



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THE RED LOBSTER
Fornells has always been a fishing town in which lobster stars in different preparations, although the best known is stew.
It's a seafood stew. Fishermen have been making it since ancient times, as a poor dish, when this crustacean did not enjoy its current reputation. Its transition to restaurant tables came, more than a century ago, at the hands of Casa Burdó, an establishment that has now disappeared, which rescued it 120 years ago, giving it fame.
Today there are rare restaurants in this town that do not prepare them. It is a simple dish. The base is a sauce of garlic, onion, green pepper and a little tomato to which water is added. When it boils, add the lobster, cleaned and chopped. Without a doubt, the secret is in the cooking point of the crustacean. In any case, the preparations of lobster stew vary from one place to another: some add a bit of garlic and parsley, some add a splash of cognac or white wine, and some add breadcrumbs or a little flour. to thicken the broth. Currently there is control over lobster fishing and they can only extract it from April to September.



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Carrer Rosari 24 - Fornells



ACTIVITIES IN FORNELLS
SHOPS IN FORNELLS

