Santueri Castle

Monuments | Felanitx

It is the best conserved mountain castle which exists in Mallorca. The Santueri Castle has been a witness and protagonist of numerous episodes of Balearic history and also legends, fed by names as illustrious as the Archduke Luis Salvador. The Santueri Castle lies seven kilometres from Felanitx, on a high plateau whose peak rises to 475 metres. Its strategic location gives views of the villages of Portocolom, Portopetro, a wide coastal stretch of the Migjorn (the south of Mallorca), and on clear days, the silhouette of the island of Cabrera which stands out. With this privileged situation, it is logical that it was used as a fortified enclave by the Romans. It was similarly used by the Arabs, who experienced times of siege during the conquest of Jaume I. The present fortress was built in the 14th Century, and has walls with loopholes and a profile with battlements. Some of the walls and floors were built using the opus spicatum technique, very characteristic of the Middle Ages, which consists of placing the rocks in the shape of fishbones. It is flanked by square towers with the exception of the tower of homage or keep, which is circular and was built later. Inside are the ruins of some buildings, such as cisterns and underground deposits where the food and water was stored for the garrisons. There was also a small fountain, which would certainly have served to fill the cisterns. A castle with history and legends What does seem to be true is that no walker drank water from the cisterns. According to the writings of Archduke Luis Salvador of Austria, this castle was considered a ghostly place. According to legend, after Jaume I¿s conquest, the Christians looked for a trick to oust the Arabs from the castle. They organised a great dance under Santueri, so that the Moors would look over one side whilst they attacked the other one. When the latter realised, they were already cornered. Likewise, the castle played a specially prominent role during the Conflict of the Germanies, in the 16th Century, giving refuge to a large number of mascarats, one of the parties involved, made up of the most favoured social segments. The path which leads to the Castell de Santueri leaves from a turning along the road from Felanitx to Ca¿s Concos.