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A 14th century Gothic cathedral
In the historic district surrounding the iconic Plaza des Borns, you’ll find the Cathedral of Santa María, a Catalan Gothic temple and seat of the diocese of Menorca.
It was built on the ruins of a mosque and you can still see the original archways which are now used as the base of the bell tower. The history of the cathedral of Ciutadella began during the reign of Jaime II in the year 1300 and ended in 1362.
Throughout the years, the cathedral underwent various changes, the most import of which was the pillaging and burning at the hands of the Ottoman Turks in the 17th century. Another important sacking took place during the Spanish Civil War.
For this reason, the cathedral is somewhat of a reconstruction. For example, the western wall is in the Neoclassical style and was built in 1813 under the orders of Archbishop Pedro Antonio Juano in order to replace the Gothic entryway.
It was officially declared a Basilica in 1953 by Pope Pius XII.
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