Santueri Castle

Castell de Santueri a Felanitx, Mallorca

Genet at the German language Wikipedia [GFDL or CC-BY-SA-3.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons

This is one of three castles built onto rocky outcrops in Mallorca. It is located at the top of a hill, with access signposted from a turn-off on the road which runs from Felanitx to Cas Concos des Cavaller. Many of the castle buildings have not been conserved, with basically just the walls and defence towers remaining.

The first documentation relating to the castle comes from 1228, and it was one of the final strongholds of the Moorish reign during the Christian conquest of 1229. Its origins remain mysterious; it is thought that it was built by the Moors, though there are signs that it could be even older. The castle was used for defence purposes and was a refuge in the case of invasions; within the walled castle grounds there was a plain which was used for cultivation and pasture land, as well as a chapel and a mill. From the 17th century onwards it lost its strategic and defensive importance, with the government eventually selling it on to private owners.

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