The fortification is in an area that was first used during the pre-Roman Talaiotic culture. Remains from that period as well as from the Roman, Byzantine and Muslim eras have been found, the walls having been almost completely rebuilt in the fourteenth century. After the conquest of 1229, the castle became the possession of Count Nunó Sanç I of Rosselló i Cerdanya. In 1241, it was returned to the crown (of Aragon). By 1811, it was under state ownership, but in that year it was sold to the Vidal family. They still own it.
In 1949, the castle was declared an asset in the cultural interest. A condition of this is that it must be open to the public at least four days a month. This hasn't always been the case. In 2011, the Council of Mallorca, responding to the fact that the castle had been closed for several years, initiated an expropriation process. Faced with this, the owners carried out restoration and improvement work valued at 600,000 euros. The castle reopened in 2014, only to then close again at the end of 2019. The pandemic followed and it remained closed.
The family had intended to carry out further work, but the pandemic prevented this. While the public can now visit again, there is the outstanding matter of a Felanitx town hall demand that the Council of Mallorca revives the expropriation process. At a January council meeting, this demand was approved, the opposition parties who had brought the motion having cited a lack of maintenance and preservation and the fact that the castle had been closed for some two years.
It is currently open every day, except Saturday, between 10.30am and 6pm. Admission is four euros and free for under-12s.
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