On the island of Mallorca, we can find many places of great cultural and historical importance. One of these places is Capdepera. The town is full of history and tradition, and, in this article from Hotels VIVA, we’re going to tell you about its main tourist attractions: the Castillo de Capdepera and the Mirador de Levante. Are you ready to take a trip through the history of Capdepera?
Amazing views
The Castillo de Capdepera (Capdepera Castle) is located in the northeast of the island of Mallorca, about 80 kilometres from Palma. Its elevated position on the top of Puig de Capdepera at 159 metres above sea level provides it with excellent views, both of the interior of the castle, and of the coastline and the Channel of Menorca.
Historical trail
The history of Capdepera is undoubtedly a very old and fascinating one, as the area where the castle is built has been occupied since prehistoric times by indigenous people. Later, the Romans occupied the island, between the 2nd century B.C. and the 5th century A.D. After that, the Muslims took over the area from the 10th to the 12th century.
Capdepera Castle has its origins in a Muslim village in which they built a watchtower. When the Christians conquered the island in 1229, the Torre d'en Nunis was the only existing element of the current castle. This was the Muslim defence tower that the Christians later continued to use.
The historical trail, or route, of the castle and its fortifications were built by order of King Jaume II to protect its population from the frequent pirate attacks. In this fortified enclosure, built during the 14th century, between 125 and 150 houses were erected.
Rural and cultural trail
The fortification of Capdepera Castle takes you up, via a stone trail, to the Capilla de Nuestra Señora de la Esperanza (the Chapel), the highest point in the area. In this chapel, there’s a gothic carving of Christ made of orange tree wood.
This castle is a very important milestone in the history of Capdepera, as the Treaty of Capdepera was signed there. This treaty sealed the surrender of the Muslims of Menorca, frightened by the power that this fortress symbolised. All this was part of the King’s strategy, which consisted of lighting fires which went high enough for the Muslims to see them from Menorca, to make them believe that they had a great army ready to invade them.
Castillo de Capdepera in the present day
Over time, the site became uninhabited until, in the 18th century, it became a military site. However, in 1854, it was completely abandoned, until in 1856 the Castle passed into the hands of the nobleman Josep Quint Zaforteza, who won it at a public auction.
In the 19th century, a flour mill was built inside what was once a watchtower of Muslim origin. Nowadays, you can see the remains of several houses and you can also visit the governor's house where there’s an interesting museum of basketwork and esparto grass work. You can also visit the old town, where there are some stately homes dating from the 14th century, the Town Hall, and the Parish Church of San Bartolomé.
In 1983, the castle became the property of the municipality and the Town Council of Capdepera regained ownership of it. In that year, it was also declared an Asset of Cultural Interest and is currently managed by a board of trustees. The income collected from ticket sales is used in its entirety to finance the preservation and conservation of the cultural heritage of the Municipality of Capdepera, and it’s undoubtedly a must-see on the area’s rural and cultural trail.
Every year, the town organises a medieval fair, as well as other fairs, festivals, and markets held in and around the castle. The Medieval Fair takes place on the third weekend of May, and, on the 16th and 17th of January, they celebrate the festival of Sant Antoni, the patron saint of animals, in which they perform all sorts of rites related to animal health.
Parc de Llevant
Capdepera forms part of the Parc de Llevant, a municipality with very diverse landscapes, both on land and at sea. The Canyamel torrent is where various migratory birds nest and you can see an abundance of flora there. The unspoilt beaches of Cala Agulla and Cala Mesquida stand out here. Close to where the Capdepera Castle is located, we can also appreciate the Mirador de Levante, a lookout point which has fantastic views of the natural area and the routes that can be taken by bicycle.
You can get to Capdepera Castle on foot from the centre of the town, where you’ll find several parking areas. It truly is a place of great importance and value in Capdepera’s history, and you can visit it all year round.
