World Heritage Cities in Spain

CITIES

Photo: World Heritage Cities

EIVISSA-IBIZA The city of Eivissa (Balearic Islands) is lo- cated on the east of the island of Ibiza. It was founded by the Carthaginians and throughout history has been oc- cupied by a number of civilisations: Punic, Roman, Moorish and Christian. The historical old town consists of the fishing and crafts neighbourhoods of La Marina and Sa Penya and the monu- mental area located in the upper part of the city, called Dalt Villa . On top of the Puig de Vila hill stands the Almudaina Castle , the tallest monument in the city which was built before there were any walls. If you climb up to Dalt Vila you'll have fantastic panoramic views, with the old town and the port at your feet. This district is completely surrounded by im- pressive Renaissance city walls which were built to protect the town against pirates and have been recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. The most monumental of the five access gates is the Portal de ses Taules , next to the Mercado Viejo or Old Market. It is a real pleasure just to stroll through the maze of squares and narrow streets. The most striking features are the de- fensive bulwarks, the Ayuntamiento or Town Hall (in what used to be a Dominican Convent) and the tiled vaults of the Church of Santo Domingo . All roads lead to the Cathedral of Santa María de las Nieves which was built over the old Moorish walls. It shares the cathedral square with the Episcopal Palace and the Casa de la Cúria (me- dieval courthouse) with a typical white- washed façade.

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` ` SES TAULES GATEWAY