The Talayotic settlement of Torretrencada in the municipal district of Ciutadella stands out thanks to its taula, one of the most special on the island. The settlement, which dates back to the Talayotic period, was inhabited until the Middle Ages, as indicated by remains found above ground.
In addition to the magnificent taula, with a pilaster still standing at the back, the settlement also includes a talayot, the remains of its outer wall, the possible foundation of a number of dwellings and several hypogea.
Schedule: May through september, everyday 9am to 9pm
October through april, everyday 9am to 6pm
Price: Free
Open: Yes
Access: Access is along the main Me-1 motorway from Maó to Ciutadella. To the left at km 38 is a country road that leads to the Camí Vell of Ciutadella. Take this road 1.1 km then turn left toward Ferreries, continue approximately 2.1 km until reaching the site’s small car park. The monument is found 400 m on foot from here.
Road signs are posted.
Access to the monument under the visitor’s responsibility. Please respect the environment. Private property with agricultural activity. Smoking and lighting fires is prohibited. Do not enter with animals.
Car Park: Yes
Guided tours: Visitor information panels are posted.
Contact:
Services: No
Access for individuals with reduced mobility: No
More information See map
More information: This settlement houses a circular talayot, which is currently rather concealed by the surrounding mounds of rubble. The taula enclosure is a clear highlight, with one of the island’s most spectacular taulas and its particular reinforcement pilaster that stands against its rear face. The walls of the enclosure are virtually non-existent, except for part of the façade, which is hidden within an ancient dry-stone wall, as well as part of the eastern wall. Also visible are what may be the foundations of circular dwellings.
A group of artificial underground caves, or hypogea, and a hypostyle hall have also been documented. The base of this covered enclosure is dug out from the rock and the roof is made up of a set of stone slabs supported by a polylithic column. The stones of this column do not show the typical Talayotic arrangement: smaller stones near the base and larger ones toward the top. Instead, it is made with smooth stones of similar sizes.
This area was used to collect rainwater from run-off for virtually year round storage. This feat of engineering seems to be of prehistoric origin.
Also of Talayotic origin is the pool or cistern, which was likely adapted from an earlier hypogeum. This is a quite interesting example of ancestral hydraulic engineering and this element is classified as ethnological heritage in the catalogue of municipal protection.
Additionally, in the settlement’s enclosure we find a group of tombs excavated from the rock. They are not prehistoric, although they do serve as proof that these settlements were still in use during historical eras, many of them until the Catalan conquest of 1287.