Fani Montoro has been a guide for the Fundació Foment del Turisme de Menorca since 2018, when she started working at Torre d'en Galmés. She has a degree in Tourism and is passionate about archeology and Talayotic culture. She’s part of the important team that contributes to spreading our prehistoric heritage, the legacy of a unique and exceptional past.
You are passionate about archaeology, what brought you to this world?
I have always been very curious about ancient cultures, how different they were from us. As a child, I devoured historical novels. I liked to transport myself to distant times and imagine how people lived. When I arrived to Menorca was when I discovered prehistory up close, I had never been in direct contact with such a distant culture before. On this island, almost every stone you touch is brimming with history.
Plus, in the rest of Spain, you have to put a lot of imagination into most of the sites to see more than stones. Here it is the other way around, each site transports you to the past and stimulates your imagination. It is impossible not to be curious about why they made these huge constructions such as the talayots or the taulas, and to investigate the topic. When you do a little research, you discover very peculiar details, while there are also many hypotheses that exude certain mystery and makes you eager to continue investigating.
Had you ever thought about working on a site or did your interest in this discipline make you specialize in cultural tourism?
The truth is that it was all a bit of a coincidence. I studied Tourism because I like to travel. When I visit another place I like to go around the corners and pay attention to every detail. When I arrived to Menorca, I fell in love with the island and was looking for jobs that would help me get to know it better. In this way, I worked for the Environment department and also for the Heritage department. I learned many things, getting to know Menorca inch by inch. My studies, my interest and knowledge, and previous experience is what gave me the opportunity to start as a guide in a site. I like it very much, and I continued to specialize in cultural tourism.
Experience in Torre d'en Galmés
You have been working as a guide in Torre d'en Galmés for a few years, therefore, it is a site that you know very well. What would you highlight about its visit?
In my opinon, it’s the most complete site that exists in Menorca. The houses from the Final Talayotic period give a sense to the whole that the rest of the sites don’t have. The visit is especially interesting because you can see how people lived in the past, what their day-to-day life was like. How they cooked, what utensils they used, what animals they kept, etc. For most visitors it’s a trip to the past. You can also clearly see how history evolved, what the life of the initial settlers was like, what traces were left by other cultures that arrived to Menorca at that time, such as the Romans; and how other people, who also took advantage of what was here to make a living, such as the Muslims.
Surely you have many anecdotes after these years, is there one that you especially remember?
There is a funny one with a group of women who asked me if we had stones here with telluric energy. Many people think this is a very mystical place. I don't know if this kind of energy exists, but it is true that the way in which these stones have been preserved over the centuries is very special. Maybe all the attention, admiration and esteem that the people who work here put into the site, and the admiration of those who visit it can be felt in some way.
What surprises visitors of Torre d'en Galmés the most? Which is the site’s monument that arouses the most interest?
The most striking thing is how they were able to make these constructions with such large stones and with the primitive means that existed at that time. It is a site with many structures: three talayots, in addition to the taula enclosure and many houses. You can see the real prehistoric city, and to imagine how they built all this is really amazing. The most pleasing monument is the circle of Cartailhac, it is surprising at an architectural level with the harmonious arrangement of its pillars and walls. The hypostyle hall also attracts quite a lot of attention, the stones on the roof are very large and it’s impressive.
Another thing that often surprises visitors is the fact that the site is open to the public day and night without surveillance, and still it is so well preserved, clean and cared for. For those of us who live here it’s a normal thing, but for people from outside the island, the respect for heritage is remarkable.
Heritage and tourism
Torre d'en Galmés is a living site, where several research projects are ongoing. What is the coexistence between tourists and archaeologists like?
Archaeologists work in the summer, the busiest months. Normally, the areas where the excavation works are carried out are separated from the visitor passage areas, since the itinerary is worked out beforehand. However, visitors can see the archaeologists working and they are happy to answer any questions they may have. In fact, depending on the type of visitor, they are expressly informed if there is any project underway in case they want to see how they work or ask for some information. Archaeologists know that this opening to the general public is very important, because it sparks interest about the site.
What challenges does your task as a guide of a Talayotic site have?
I believe that guides have the important task of transmitting the cultural values of our territory, which is essential for us to be valued for what we do. And a very important part of this culture is the prehistoric heritage, it’s so important that Talayotic Menorca is in the running for UNESCO World Heritage status. This milestone, which we have achieved with great effort, without the recognition of the external public - the tourists- would not make sense.
Our heritage has been hidden from the rest of the world for a long time, now is the time to show it. Making people understand that what we have in this sites is much more than just rocks is an important task. This is a legacy from the past in a unique state of conservation and there is nothing else like it in the world.