Church and Cloister of Saint Francesc, Mahon

The Church and Cloister of Saint Francesc is an example of Baroque architecture built upon earlier religious foundations, and it remains a living testament to the island’s spiritual and cultural evolution. Over the centuries, the complex’s role has shifted: following the 1835 ecclesiastical confiscations, parts of the convent were repurposed for secular uses, including a nautical school and later as a public library and education center.

Though the present church was completed in 1792, it was constructed on the site of an earlier Gothic temple dating from 1459, formerly known as the Convent of Jesus. The new Baroque church embraced a single-nave plan, incorporating features such as late Gothic rib vaulting, and over time was enriched with side chapels, decorative portals, and murals in grisaille depicting scenes from the life of Saint Francis.

One of the highlights is the Cloister of Saint Francesc, part of the former monastic complex. This cloister, particularly its southern wing, once served as a key element of the convent structure and now houses portions of the Museum of Menorca. The cloister preserves its square layout with a central well, designed in a style consistent with 18th-century Baroque architecture.