Island history
A history of Formentera island
For a small island Formentera has a long history. Evidence of the history of Formentera dates from between 1800 BC-1600 BC. The 'Ca Na Costa' megalithic tomb near Es Pujols and settlements found in Cap de Barbaria. are evidence of this.
In 654 BC the Carthaginian Phoenicians founded a colony on Ibiza which would become one of the most important in the western Mediterranean although there is no evidence of Phoenician settlement on Formentera. The Greeks, who followed, gave the islands of Ibiza and Formentera their collective name - the ‘Pitiuses’ which means ‘pine tree islands'.
Around 200 BC the Romans arrived and built a fortress near to Es Caló; the foundation walls can still be seen today. During Roman times there lived a quite large population on Formentera and there have been numerous findings as evidence. They used the island mainly for growing wheat and named it ‘Frumentaria’ (the wheat island in Latin)- from which the today's name Formentera derives.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century first Vandals, then Byzantines conquered the island. In 711 the Moors arrived on Ibiza and Formentera, but it took the Arabs until the beginning of the 10th century to confirm their dominion.
With them the Moors brought their advanced knowledge of agriculture and irrigation. The way the landscape looks today in Formentera is generally due to this Moorish influence, this is shown in the many stone walls and the irrigation systems still used by farmers today.
The Moorish occupation of the island came to an end in 1235 AD, the date on which the Catalonian Conquest of the islands of Ibiza and Formentera begun, which was undertaken by King Jaime I incorporating the island into the Crown of Aragon. In 1469 the marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon laid the foundation for the unification of Spain.
Due the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, trade with the new colonies increased and the trade in the Mediterranean became less important so the crown lost its interest in the Balearic Islands. Formentera fell into oblivion for many years and due to a number of bad harvests the island was more or less abandoned to pirates.
In the late 17th century people once again began to settle on Formentera. Until the second half of the 19th century the population of the island survived on agriculture, fishing and, of salt which was extensively farmed on the island’s Salinas. Due to the hardship experienced and the limited ability to feed themselves many people emigrated, mostly to Central and South America.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Formentera continued to be populated occasionally by people from the island of Ibiza. Modern history of the island begins in 1695 when the Crown donated the island, in payment for the services rendered, to Marc Ferrer.
Some years later, in 1726, the first church was built on the island. It was dedicated to San Francisco Javier, and was built as a fort within which inhabitants could take refuge from pirate attacks.
Later on in the 19th century, the churches of San Fernando and El Pilar in La Mola were built. With the passing of time small populated nuclei began to spring up around the churches, although the majority of the inhabitants lived in small country houses spread around the countryside, as many still do.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) Formentera suffered from heavy fights against the nationalistic troops of Franco, which in the end won with the help of reinforcement from Mussolini. 18 left-wing Formentencs were shot and at least five died in Nazi concentration camps.
From 1939 until 1942 there was a concentration camp in Formentera for political dissidents from mainland Spain awaiting execution.
In the 1960’s and 70’s, the Formentera tourism industry gained a foothold on the island. In conjunction with the rise of tourism, the Formentera hippy movement also took root at the end of the 60’s, a fact which left a profound mark on the personality of the island.
Bob Dylan, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Kevin Ayers, and Chris Rea are all known to have visited the island during this period. Formentera is also an inspiration to large number of artists including Robert Hawkins [and Lesley Hulme.
In 654 BC the Carthaginian Phoenicians founded a colony on Ibiza which would become one of the most important in the western Mediterranean although there is no evidence of Phoenician settlement on Formentera. The Greeks, who followed, gave the islands of Ibiza and Formentera their collective name - the ‘Pitiuses’ which means ‘pine tree islands'.
Around 200 BC the Romans arrived and built a fortress near to Es Caló; the foundation walls can still be seen today. During Roman times there lived a quite large population on Formentera and there have been numerous findings as evidence. They used the island mainly for growing wheat and named it ‘Frumentaria’ (the wheat island in Latin)- from which the today's name Formentera derives.
Following the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 5th century first Vandals, then Byzantines conquered the island. In 711 the Moors arrived on Ibiza and Formentera, but it took the Arabs until the beginning of the 10th century to confirm their dominion.
With them the Moors brought their advanced knowledge of agriculture and irrigation. The way the landscape looks today in Formentera is generally due to this Moorish influence, this is shown in the many stone walls and the irrigation systems still used by farmers today.
The Moorish occupation of the island came to an end in 1235 AD, the date on which the Catalonian Conquest of the islands of Ibiza and Formentera begun, which was undertaken by King Jaime I incorporating the island into the Crown of Aragon. In 1469 the marriage of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon laid the foundation for the unification of Spain.
Due the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus in 1492, trade with the new colonies increased and the trade in the Mediterranean became less important so the crown lost its interest in the Balearic Islands. Formentera fell into oblivion for many years and due to a number of bad harvests the island was more or less abandoned to pirates.
In the late 17th century people once again began to settle on Formentera. Until the second half of the 19th century the population of the island survived on agriculture, fishing and, of salt which was extensively farmed on the island’s Salinas. Due to the hardship experienced and the limited ability to feed themselves many people emigrated, mostly to Central and South America.
Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Formentera continued to be populated occasionally by people from the island of Ibiza. Modern history of the island begins in 1695 when the Crown donated the island, in payment for the services rendered, to Marc Ferrer.
Some years later, in 1726, the first church was built on the island. It was dedicated to San Francisco Javier, and was built as a fort within which inhabitants could take refuge from pirate attacks.
Later on in the 19th century, the churches of San Fernando and El Pilar in La Mola were built. With the passing of time small populated nuclei began to spring up around the churches, although the majority of the inhabitants lived in small country houses spread around the countryside, as many still do.
During the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939) Formentera suffered from heavy fights against the nationalistic troops of Franco, which in the end won with the help of reinforcement from Mussolini. 18 left-wing Formentencs were shot and at least five died in Nazi concentration camps.
From 1939 until 1942 there was a concentration camp in Formentera for political dissidents from mainland Spain awaiting execution.
In the 1960’s and 70’s, the Formentera tourism industry gained a foothold on the island. In conjunction with the rise of tourism, the Formentera hippy movement also took root at the end of the 60’s, a fact which left a profound mark on the personality of the island.
Bob Dylan, King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Kevin Ayers, and Chris Rea are all known to have visited the island during this period. Formentera is also an inspiration to large number of artists including Robert Hawkins [and Lesley Hulme.
