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.
Fornells Tower
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.
Church of Sant Antoni Abad
The church of Sant Antoni Abad in Fornells is located at number 2, Carrer de les Escoles and is the parish church of the town. It is named after the monk and Christian saint San Antonio Abad. The church was built in the 17th century, in 1639, to serve the small suburb that served the castle of Sant Antoni, although with the increase in population that Fornells experienced, it was enlarged in the 18th century.
Hermitage of Lourdes
The hermitage of Lourdes is a small hermitage that makes use of a natural cave. It is located at the northern end of the town of Fornells, on a path that starts at the car park at the end of Calle de la Tramontana, and climbs westwards towards the Torre de Fornells (Fornells Tower).
The town and the port
A seafaring town of barely 1,000 inhabitants which, in times gone by, was fundamental for the defence of the island against pirate raids, thanks to its natural bay. A safe harbour for the boats of the time and which today still provides some of the most typical images of the island. In terms of town planning, Fornells is a typical Mediterranean village, with narrow streets, whitewashed houses with wooden doors and windows painted in bright colours.
The surroundings of Fornells
From the village you can easily reach by bicycle some of the most emblematic spots of Menorca, such as Cap de Caballería with its spectacular lighthouse on an impressive cliff and its unspoilt beach of red sand, or the urbanisation of Playas de Fornells and the beach of Cala Tirant.
