Illa del Rei, from military hospital to art center
On the Illa del Rei, located in the middle of Maó harbour, is the military hospital built during the British domination of the 18th century. We also find the remains of a Paleo-Christian basilica and, recently, it has been the site chosen to install the Hauser & Wirth art center in Menorca.
Illa del Rei
The island, also known as The Bloody Island, is in the middle of the Maó harbour, between Maó and Es Castell villages. Its name comes from the legend that Alfonso II of Catalonia and III of Aragón – known as “The Liberal” – came ashore here for the first time when he took Menorca from the Muslims in 1287. The island has two very interesting architectural sites: the remains of the Early Christian era basilica, which once contained a mosaic now preserved in the Museum of Menorca, and the old military hospital.
Built by the British, the old military hospital was based here from the 18th century up until the 1960s. It occupies a large part of the island and stands on its highest point. It is a U-shaped building that faces east. It was abandoned in 1964 when the new military hospital was built in the city of Maó.
In those days, the hospital had 40 patient wards, various rooms for doctors, nurses and other hospital staff plus all the services required for running a hospital, including laundry, pharmacy and kitchens, as well as three water tanks and bathing facilities. In 1784, the Spanish built a chapel dedicated to Sant Carles.
Hauser & Wirth Gallery
On the Illa del Rei there is a delegation from the prestigious Hauser & Wirth art galleries, completing the set of history and nature that the islet offers with the contemporary art of its exhibitions.
Hauser & Wirth on Illa del Rei is an art center whose purpose is to create spaces where you can enjoy works of art in contact with nature, gastronomy and the history of Menorca. The space has the restaurant Cantina, where you can enjoy seasonal sharing plates of vegetables, seafood, fish and grilled meat, as well as a great selection of wines.
To get to Illa del Rei you must take the Yellow Catamaran. During the tourist season, makes trips to the islet periodically from Maó.
How to get there, prices and opening times
May 11 – June 5
Every day
From 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
(Cantina until 4:30 p.m.)
Ferry from the port of Maó at Moll de Levante, 61
Every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ferry from Illa del Rei
Every hour from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
June 6 – September 7
Every day
From 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
(Cantina until 11:30 p.m.)
Ferry from the port of Maó at Moll de Levante, 61
Every hour from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Ferry from Illa del Rei
Every hour from 12:30 – 11:30 p.m.
September 11 – October 27
From Wednesday to Sunday
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
(Cantina until 4:30 p.m.)
Ferry from the port of Maó at Moll de Levante, 61
Every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Ferry from Illa del Rei
Every hour from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Ferry ticket price
€10 per person
€5 for children under 18 years old
Free for children under 3 years old
Round trip (open return)
Bookings
• Book the ferry to visit the art center Hauser & Wirth and naval hospital, eat seasonal food at Cantina and join its activities.
• Guided tour of the naval hospital. Check schedules and reservations.
More information: +34 871 01 00 20
Nearby sites of interest
• Fort Marlborough: Fortress carved out of the bare rock by the English between 1710 and 1726 to defend the castle of Sant Felip. Open to the public. Tel.: 971 360 462.
• Saint Philip’s Castle: Remains of what was once one of the most important fortifications in the Mediterranean. Started by the Spanish in 1555 and enlarged by the English during their first period of domination (1708-1756). Charles III, after conquering Menorca in 1782, ordered it to be destroyed. Open to the public. Tel.: 971 362 100. More information.
• Calesfonts: Old fishing village belonging to Es Castell, where the old warehouses have been turned into bars and restaurants.
Map Illa del Rei
See the map British Menorca in Google Maps
See all monuments of British Menorca
The British presence in Menorca lasted for almost the entire 18th century in three consecutive periods, from 1708 to 1802, the year the island was returned to the Spanish crown. From this era, a magnificent architectural legacy remains in the form of defensive military structures that dot the island’s coastline.
The island, also known as The Bloody Island, is in the middle of the Maó harbour, between Maó and Es Castell villages, where we find the old military hospital built by the British during their domination.
Fortress carved out of the bare rock by the English between 1710 and 1726 to defend the castle of Sant Felip, stands on the southern side of the entrance to Maó harbour, in the cove Cala de Sant Esteve.
Sant Felip Castle stands on the southern side of the entrance to Maó harbour. Over the course of successive British occupations the castle was extended until the Spanish siege in 1782.
A coastal defence tower built by the British in the early 19th century to guard the entrance to Fornells harbour and protect the nearby Sant Antoni Castle