PALACE OF THE COUNTY OF TORRE-SAURA (19TH - 20TH C.) Ciutadella de Menorca

A JOURNEY THROUGH HISTORY FOLLOWING A UNIQUE FAMILY HERITAGE IN MENORCA

 

Considered by Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria in his Die Balearen as the most beautiful mansion on the island, it brings together multiple singularities that forge the history of the County of Torre-saura over hundred and seventy-seven years as a reflection of the evolution of an entire city. It is a chronicle marked by relevant events, in one way or another, by the six counts of the Olives family, which invested Ciutadella de Menorca with exceptional episodes and an unheard-of splendour for an island as small as Menorca.

 

The granting of the title of Count to Bernardo Ignacio Olives y Olives in 1818 by King Ferdinand VII was the culmination of a process preceded by the union of two ancestral and illustrious Menorcan lineages, the Quart and the Olives. From royal visits to the most insignificant family events, the monumental house evokes people, habits and tastes of bygone times, an authentic vestige of a peculiar family estate.

 

THE PALACE

 

In the heart of the historic centre of Ciutadella, the palace was built partly on the old Quart house. Of its current configuration, begun in 1839, the striking façade overlooking the Plaça des Born stands out, in neoclassical style, with two large Italian-inspired loggias. In its central part, there is a large doorway for the entrance of carriages, presided over by the count's coat of arms, with the surnames Olives, Quart and Riudavets, flanked by two winged chimeras.

 

On the other hand, the façade of the Carrer Mayor is simpler, although equally splendid. With its sober balance and great symmetry, it houses the main door to the building, crowned by the famous and enigmatic veiled face, a romantic symbol of hospitality. Its interior houses rooms and terraces of dimensions unusual in Menorca, with the throne room standing out, which was fitted out for Queen Isabella II's stay in the house in 1860.

 

THE LEGACY

 

From the granting of the noble title until the extinction of the saga in 1995, the palace incorporated different artistic collections of unquestionable value that today decorate its rooms. Through the contemplation of the pictorial works, furniture, precious lamps, decorative arts and everyday objects, we recall the history of one of the most pre-eminent families in Menorca. A history linked to the evolution of convulsive times for Spain and for the city in which its different representatives played an important role in the social, political and economic life of their time.

 

In addition to the house and other properties, the county's heritage is completed with an important documentary archive. Its recovery, currently underway, is an objective shared with the social aims of the Fundación José María de Olives y de Ponsich, which takes its name from the sixth and last Count of the Olives lineage, created by his heir, Juan M. Valero Fortuny.

 

THE FUNDACIÓN JOSÉ MARÍA DE OLIVES Y DE PONSICH, CONDE DE TORRE-SAURA

 

The Foundation, created in 2012, devotes its efforts to philanthropic purposes, helping people and families in need through different collaboration programmes with public and private organisations.

 

Aware of the current importance of the tangible and intangible assets that are part of the county's heritage, which has become an emblem of the cultural heritage of Ciutadella and Menorca, the Foundation is also working on the recovery of architectural, artistic and documentary assets that have become unmistakable symbols of identity. Public visits are aimed at their discovery, enjoyment and financing.

 

GUIDED TOURS

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Information at: www.talaiacultura.com

Instagram:   @palacio_torre_saura_ciutadella

Contact: info@talaiacultura.com

Information WhatsApp:  (+34) 971 386 170

Organised by: FUNDACIÓN JOSÉ MARÍA DE OLIVES Y DE PONSICH CONDE DE TORRE-SAURA

 

 

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