This is one of the largest and most spectacular prehistoric settlements in Menorca. It reached its peak during the time of Carthaginian commercial growth but remained in use until the medieval period.
Especially noteworthy are two talayots, a taula enclosure, a hypostyle hall and several caves dug out from the subsoil, as well as the remains of structures that were living quarters. The taula and its enclosure are the settlement’s most spectacular remains. This was a building used for worship, with a horseshoe shape and side chapels. The taula itself is composed of two magnificently crafted large stone blocks, one vertical and one horizontal. During the various excavation campaigns carried out on site, a bronze figurine of a bull and other objects of worship were found near a stone altar, presently on display at the Museum of Menorca.
Schedule: - October
Monday and Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Wednesday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- November and december
Monday to Sunday: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Price: See website www.torralbadensalort.com
Open: Yes
Access: Access is along the road from Alaior to Cala en Porter. The settlement is located on the right side at km 3.
Road signs are posted.
Car Park: Car park available for cars and buses.
Guided tours: www.torralbadensalort.com
Site audio guides in 6 languages.
Contact: Tel. +34
609 78 96 04
info@torralbadensalort.com
Services: Yes
Shop and bar.
Picnic tables and chairs.
Access for individuals with reduced mobility: Yes
More information See map
More information: This taula enclosure is one of the most well conserved in Menorca and houses what is certainly the most spectacular, monumental and well-carved taula. It stands 5.10 m in height including the capital stone and its base fits into a groove cut into the parent rock, further reinforced by stone wedges. It is the highest taula on the island. The enclosure is horseshoe shaped with internal areas that are divided up by pilasters that form a group of “small chapels”, or lobes, that contain small niches or altars within the wall itself. Discovered atop the altar were the legs of a bronze statuette that depicted a horse, and fallen before the small altar, the intact bronze statuette of a bull and two ceramic censers in the form of the Punic goddess Tanit.
The exact chronology of this sanctuary remains unknown, although carbon-14 dating and the discovery of Roman ceramics from the period have confirmed that it remained in use in the late 2nd century AD. Also unearthed was a sample of animal bone that dates back to 1000 BC, although an exact interpretation of this piece has not been made. Based on the findings of the researchers who made this discovery, it would appear that the sanctuary was in use from the 4th century BC.
The settlement includes two circular talayots, the larger of which is located at the highest point of the settlement. Atop this structure we see what appears to be a cylindrical stone at the building’s centre, perhaps one of the stones of the talayot’s central pillar. There are multiple attached constructions covered with sediment and rubble.
The other talayot is found next to the taula enclosure. It was excavated in the 1970s by the team of William Waldren and M. Fernández-Miranda, although only part of the outer wall has been conserved. It was erected atop an earlier architectural structure, likely a circular dwelling. Part of this talayot was destroyed during construction of the taula enclosure. Carbon-14 dating carried out on a grain of barley that originated from the structure left below the talayot has dated its use to the 13th century BC.
The settlement also includes a half buried hypostyle hall covered with stone slabs supported by columns and pillars. It was used for storage during the 1st century AD and left in disuse in the 2nd century AD.
Two artificial funerary caves can also be seen on our visit, as well as the remains of an outer wall and Talayotic dwellings, covered by vegetation, mounds of rubble and sediment.
The portion of the archaeological area owned by the Balearic Islands Foundation is demarcated by dry stone wall, although the entire area included in the site is much larger, but found on the land of other owners.
In the settlement’s southern section, around 200 m from the main talayot, we find a prehistoric well known as Na Patarrà, located off the site managed by the Balearic Islands Foundation. It is excavated from the parent rock and measures 47 m in depth with 9 sections of stairs and a width of 1.2 m. From the second section, it also shows a 50 cm-wide handrail that includes a number of holes for rainwater collection. The stairway was designed in a zigzag pattern. It is currently closed off by a modern dry-stone wall.