The Crown of Menorca

Sept. 2, 2010 - PRLog -- Standing at just 358m metres high on a hill, on top of Menorca, Monte Toro is the islands beacon.  It is said that the Menorcans have always felt a special attraction for this mountain, to such an extent that they made it into the island's spiritual centre.  The Monte Toro is located in the centre of Menorca, in the district of Es Mercadal and is half way between Mao and Ciutadella.  It is the highest point on the island; this is the only place where an aerial view of the countryside can be viewed.  Early settlers had built a watchtower to overlook the area and the present day watch tower was built much later, in 1558.

At the peak of Monte Toro there is a sanctuary that was built in the 17th century; this was done to replace a Gothic one that was built earlier.  Today the sanctuary is inhabited by a sisterhood of nuns.  The entrance of the sanctuary has a courtyard which is home to monument that recalls the Menorcans who moved to Florida in the 18th Century.

The church safeguards an unusual door that has two clock faces and two giant bows.  The inside of the church has a single nave, with three chapels at each side.  In one of them is the cave that if you believe the legend is where they discovered the statue of the Virgin of El Toro, the patron saint of the Menorcans.

Outside of the building you can see that the influence of Spiritual nature around it.  As there are two more monuments, the Sagrado Corazon (Sacred Heart) and one that commemorates people who immigrated to Algeria.  From here the best panoramic view of the whole island can be seen you can see the growth of nature in the north coast, the warmth of the south coast and if the weather is clear then it is possible to see the western coast of Mallorca.  Also this location isn't bad for seeing the sunrise or set, I don't think you find a better location on the island as there will be nothing obstructing your view.

At the bottom of Monte Toro is Es Mercadal, this is a bustling photographic town with whitewashed houses, these are ideal Menorca villas which have narrow streets.  This is the complete opposite from the tranquil nature of the church on Monte Toro.  Es Mercadal is known for its Gastronomy and there are a wide range of restaurants which cater to all your needs with their distinct special dishes.  They range from the caldereta which is a fish stew and the calamares a la menorquina which is Menorcan style squid dish.  To get to Monte Toro from Es Mercadal is easy as it is a 3km journey up a road which leads to the summit, there you will find a car park and a small bar so there will be a reason to take a car if possible. There shouldn't be any reason why you wouldn't want to go as not only will you have the best view of the island but you'll also be able to relax in peace.

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