Menorca's privileged geographical location and its wonderful port
You can also venture into the world of crafts and ethnology by
have aroused the interest of many nations, civilisations and leading
visiting the Artisan Centre of Menorca (Centre Artesanal de
world powers. All this has left its mark on the island’s island's
Menorca) in Es Mercadal and the museum collection at Molí de
history and customs, shaping our distinctive traits and
Dalt in Sant Lluís.
idiosyncrasies. This history and the traces it left behind are visible in our museums. Outstanding examples of the island's many museums and collections include the Museum of Menorca in the cloister of the Church of Sant Francesc, the Municipal Museum of Ciutadella built on the remains of an old stronghold catalogued as an Asset of Cultural Interest, the museum collection in the Convent of Sant Agustí (El Socors) in Ciutadella, the Military Museum on the esplanade of Es Castell and the Hernández SanzHernández Mora museum collection. However, not only Menorca's historic events are commemorated through finds and remains displayed in our museums and collections; our plants and wildlife can also be seen and studied in major collections such as the Carreras Torrent Museum of Natural Sciences and the Botanical Circuit and the Biodiversity Circuit at the Quarries Pedreres de S'Hostal, quarry site in Ciutadella. The museum in the Convent of Sant Agustí (El Socors) holds several palaeontology, malacology and entomology collections and dissected vertebrate specimens from the old Natural and Physical Sciences cabinet in the Diocesan Seminary, as well as from the biology room at the hospital on Illa del Rei, which also has an impressive collection of medical and pharmaceutical exhibits.
Lastly, a tour of Menorca’s art galleries will immerse you in the inspiring and prolific world of the island’s contemporary artists.
CAPÍTULO 2
MUSEUMS AND MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
MUSEUM OF MENORCA 3
MUSEUM OF MENORCA OPEN TO VISITORS Location: Pla des Monestir Town: Maó Owned and managed by: Govern Illes Balears (Balearic Islands Government) Telephone: +34 971 35 09 55 Web: www.ajmao.org €
39º53'27,88'' N 4º15'39,78'' E 4
The Museum of Menorca is the island’s largest and most important museum institution. The rooms describe the history of Menorca through its physical traces and remains. The Museum of Menorca is currently based in the convent of Jesus, once occupied by monks from the Franciscan order; the Baroque-style building dates from between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. In 1835, as a result of the confiscations carried out by Mendizábal, the monks left the building and since then it has been used for a range of purposes. The tour is made even more interesting because of the large archaeological and picture collections on display, and for the a r c h i t e c t u r a l f e a t u r e s o f t h e b u i l d i n g i t s e l f . The Museum collection comprises material from Menorca acquired from old collections and archaeological digs, plus loans and donations, both from private individuals and various organisations. On the ground floor, around the cloister, are the temporary exhibition rooms and the events room. The permanent exhibition occupies the first and second floors, and has been open to the public since 1998. First floor displays focus on prehistory and ancient history. There is also a fascinating exhibition of material from the old convent. On the second floor, exhibits cover the period from the Middle Ages through to the 20th century. 5
The Museum of Menorca has a total exhibition area of 5,000 square metres, half of which is given over to internal services (library, workshops and storage, scientific work area and administrative offices). The Museum runs a series of activities aimed at the general public, either directly or through other organisations. The education section organises educational activities, produces teaching materials, runs guided tours of the Museum to school groups throughout the academic year and helps to organise archaeological work camps for university students in the summer.
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HERNÁNDEZ SANZ - HERNÁNDEZ MORA MUSEUM COLLECTION 7
HERNÁNDEZ SANZ - HERNÁNDEZ MORA MUSEUM COLLECTION OPEN TO VISITORS Location: First floor of the Cloister of El Carme. Plaça Miranda, 5 Town: Maó Owned and managed by: Maó City Council Telephone: +34 971 350 597 Website: www.ajmao.org
39º53’19,31’’ N 4º15’57,96’’ E
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Maó City Council has managed the museum and library in the Cloister of El Carme since 1987. They are an important record of Menorca's history, art and culture, as well as of its links to world history. Distinguished professor Joan Hernández Mora donated his assets to the city of Maó. He had inherited part of these assets from his father, chronicler and archivist at Maó City Council, Francesc Hernández Sanz; he acquired the rest over many years, eventually amassing a large collection of furniture, Menorcan objects and pictures and a well-stocked library. In 1999, his descendants, in a new gesture of generosity towards their home city, donated the remainder of the Francesc Hernández Sanz collection to complete the original holdings. The overall layout of the museum is designed to look like the inside of a Menorcan house. The rooms hold paintings arranged chronologically from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. There is also a gallery of historical Menorcan figures and people with links to the history of Menorca, plus a magnificent map collection and work by his relatives. The library occupies two rooms on the first floor and contains all the books and leaflets acquired by Mr. Hernández Mora throughout his life. Estimated at over four thousand in total, they are by Menorcan authors or by writers connected with the island of Menorca in some way. The library collection has been digitally catalogued and is kept up-to-date with new acquisitions. It now consists of over seven thousand items.
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MILITARY MUSEUM OF MENORCA 11
MILITARY MUSEUM OF MENORCA
OPEN TO VISITORS
Location: Plaça Explanada Town: Es Castell Owned and managed by: Consorcio del Museo Militar de Menorca y Patrimonio Histórico Militar (Consortium of the Military Museum of Menorca and Historic Military Heritage) Telephone: +34 971 362 100 Web: www.museomilitarmenorca.com €
39º52’46,63’’ N 4º17’24,49’’ E 12
Following the dissolution of the majority of military units in the late 20th century, the decision was taken to set up a military museum that would hold military items and records. Military forces are an extremely important part of the island’s history and played a crucial role in defending the island in the past. The Military Museum of Menorca was founded in 1981. At first it was based in the former gunpowder magazine in Castell de Sant Felip, before being transferred to the Calacorp barracks. This historic British building dates from the last third of the 18th century. 13
The museum consists of nineteen rooms covering Menorca’s history, particularly its military history. Each room is dedicated to a historic figure. The rooms on Carlos III, looking at how Menorca was recaptured by Spain, and on Isabel II, on the fortress of La Mola. The exhibition focuses particularly on the fortress and on the castle of Sant Felip. The Almirante Miranda room has displays on the Spanish navy and Maó port. Foreign rule in Menorca is reflected in Governor Kane room and General Brandaris room shows the fortifications raised during the Spanish Civil War. Coronel Albertí room displays a large collection of 18th century oil paintings and watercolours. The museum also contains a collection of scale models of fortifications and ships as well as a series of artillery pieces dating from the 16th to the 19th century on loan from the Army Museum and arranged around the ground floor. 14
The Military Museum has its own library and an archive section with a collection of more than 700 plans. It also has a conference room and shows films on the heritage held by the Military Museum Consortium. The Consortium of the Military Museum of Menorca and Historic Military Heritage of the Port of Ma贸 and Cala Sant Esteve was set up in 1998. This organisation does some great work restoring, maintaining and raising awareness of Menorca's rich military historic heritage, especially the importance of the port of Ma贸. 15
CARRERAS TORRENT
NATURAL SCIENCES MUSEUM COLLECTION 16
CARRERAS TORRENT NATURAL SCIENCES MUSEUM COLLECTION OPEN TO VISITORS Location: Road between Ferreries and Ciutadella, at km 31.6, Camí dels Alocs turning Town: Ferreries Owned and managed by: Private Telephone: +34 971 380 056 Web: www.binisues1.wix.com/binisues € 17
Menorca’s Natural Sciences Museum Collection was set up by naturalists Juan and Miguel Carreras Torrent and traces the work and scientific study carried out by both of them over a period of 42 years. The museum is in the 18th century Binissuès manor houses, in the middle of the countryside and surrounded by impressive views. The collection focuses on the diversity of the Balearics and also contains specimens from all over the world, with various collections arranged in sections. Examples are the sections on zoology; vertebrates (with over 200 species) and invertebrates (with more than 6,000 specimens, including Menorca’s daytime butterflies). Malacology (the study of molluscs), geology and mycology (the study of fungi) are also featured in the collections, all of which are on permanent display and constantly being expanded. The science collection has more than 70,000 specimens, the majority of which are arthropods. One of the museum’s primary functions is its research activity. 18
One of the organisation’s basic commitments is raising awareness of environmental issues, so its work is oriented towards publicising the value of our natural habitat and species, not just through the collections but also through audio-visual displays for visitors and more than 1,000 documentary films. In fact, this is a fascinating and exciting way of learning about the islands and their natural assets, through observation, enjoyment and knowledge.
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CONVENT AND CLOISTER OF SANT AGUSTÍ (EL SOCORS) MUSEUM COLLECTION 20
CONVENT AND CLOISTER OF SANT AGUSTÍ (EL SOCORS) MUSEUM COLLECTION OPEN TO VISITORS Location: Carrer Seminari, 7. Town: Ciutadella Owned and managed by: Bishop of Menorca Telephone: +34 971 481 297 Web: www.bisbatdemenorca.com
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The museum collection is based in the Baroque convent of Sant AgustĂ, more commonly known as El Socors. Building started on the convent in the early 17th century and continued up until the mid-18th century.
 Access to the museum is via the entrance hall of El Socors church. The ground floor rooms in the cloister display various collections dating from 1858. Rooms 1, 3 and 4 contain archaeological finds from sites around the island from the pre-Talayotic era through to Roman times. Room 2 contains a collection of drawings and paintings, plus a number of engravings and prints from the 18th to 20th centuries and referring to Menorca. Room 5 contains a set of paintings by artist Pere Dora, donated by his daughter. His work shows the influence of the last Impressionists, of Expressionism, Cubism and so on, and can be seen in a number of museums in Catalonia, France and the United States. In room 6 there is a set of specimens from the old Natural and Physical Sciences cabinet in the Diocesan Seminary plus several palaeontology, malacology (the study of molluscs) and entomology collections and dissected vertebrates. Room 7, Nuncio room, is the old antechamber to the convent dining hall. It has an interesting groin vaulted ceiling. 22
The room contains a picture of St. Rosalía and some portraits of bishops of the diocese. Room 8 is the former Augustine monks’ refectory and currently the events room. This room is a good example of 18th century Menorcan architecture and is the work of master builder Joan Amorós. It contains some religious pictures, breviaries and antiphonaries dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries, 16th century embossed brass plates and some ceramic pieces. Room 10 is the back of the church, behind the altar and contains a display of stone finds from a number of ancient buildings, churches and convents, such as headstones, fragments of inscriptions, arch key stones, coats of arms a n d G o t h i c g a r g o y l e s f r o m t h e C a t h e d r a l . It is possible to visit the Cathedral as well by obtaining a joint ticket.
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MUNICIPAL MUSEUM OF CIUTADELLA 24
MUNICIPAL MUSEUM OF CIUTADELLA OPEN TO VISITORS Location: Pla de Sa Font, s/n Town: Ciutadella Owned and managed by: Ciutadella Town Council Telephone: +34 971 380 297 Website: www.ciutadella.org/museo €
40º00'16,51'' N 3º50'16,46'' E 25
The Municipal Museum of Ciutadella – Bastion of Sa Font, is a general history and archaeological museum with a permanent exhibition on the history of Ciutadella and of the island itself from prehistoric times through to the Muslim era and the arrival of king Alfonso III in 1287. Visitors can take a tour through the island's various historical periods, represented by the archaeological remains and artefacts on display. The Historic and Artistic Museum of Ciutadella was officially opened i n 1 9 3 5 o n t h e g r o u n d fl o o r o f t h e To w n H a l l . In 1995, it was moved to the Bastion of Sa Font building, which is able to provide the highest level of protection for the historic collection, having been declared an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). Sa Font was one of five bastions built to protect the five entrances set into the walls around the town. The bastion originally served as a water tank and was fi l l e d b y c o l l e c t i n g r a i n w a t e r . The permanent exhibition starts with the early settlers on the island and with a display cabinet on the pre-Talayotic period showing the way of life and customs of that era. After this, the Talayotic period is the subject of a large display dealing with the way of life, customs and relationships of this native culture of Menorca and Mallorca. The next section shows the Roman era. To end the exhibition on this period, there is a display cabinet on the origins of Christianity in Menorca and paleo-Christian basilicas.
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Lastly, there is an area on Vandal attacks, on the Byzantine Empire, the late Roman Empire and the beginning of the Muslim era in M e n o r c a .
 The museum regularly holds temporary exhibitions to show particular historic periods not covered by the permanent exhibition, aspects of anthropology or recent acquisitions and new collections. 

The museum provides guided tours for groups, which should be booked in advance.
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CAPÍTULO 3
ART GALLERIES
ARGOS GALLERY 29
ARGOS GALLERY Location: Carrer d'en Deià, 4 Town: Maó Telephone: +34 971 362 652
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ARTARA GALLERY 31
ARTARA GALLERY
Location: Carrer Rosari, 18 Town: Ma贸
Telephone: +34 971 352 912 Web: www.galeriaartara.com
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KROMA GALLERY 33
KROMA GALLERY
Location: Carrer Anuncivay, 7 Town: Ma贸 Telephone: +34 971 350 804 Web: www.galeriakroma.com
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ENCANT GALLERY 35
ENCANT GALLERY
Location: Carrer Infanta, 20 Town: Ma贸
Telephone: +34 971 364 416 Web: www.encant.net
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ART I JOC GALLERY 37
ART I JOC GALLERY Location: Carrer Barcelona, 20 Town: Ciutadella Telephone: +34 971 385 712 Web: www.galeria-artijoc.com
38
RETXA GALLERY 39
RETXA GALLERY Location: Carrer Nou de Juliol , 37 Town: Ciutadella Telephone: +34 971 381 806 Web: www.galeriaretxa.com
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VIDRIART GALLERY 41
GALERĂ?A VIDRART
Location: Carrer del Roser, 8 Town: Ciutadella Telephone: +34 971 385 851 Web: www.galeriavidrart.com
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CAPÍTULO 4
EXHIBITION CENTRES AND MULTIPURPOSE SPACES
“SA NOSTRA” CULTURAL CENTRE MAÓ 44
“SA NOSTRA” CULTURAL CENTRE MAÓ Location: Carrer S´Arraval, 32 Town: Maó Telephone: +34 971 366 854 Web: www.obrasocialsanostra.com
45
CLOISTER OF EL CARME EXHIBITION CENTRE 46
CLOISTER OF EL CARME EXHIBITION CENTRE Location: Cloister of El Carme, s/n Town: Ma贸 Owned and managed by: Ma贸 City Council Telephone: +34 971 353 280 Web: www.ajmao.org
47
ES PATI EXHIBITION CENTRE 48
ES PATI EXHIBITION CENTRE
Location: Carrer Governador Ram铆rez, 4 Town: Ma贸 Web: www.espati.net
49
EL HORNABEQUE EXHIBITION CENTRE 50
EL HORNABEQUE EXHIBITION CENTRE Location: Fortress of La Mola. Carretera La Mola Town: Maó Owned by: Consorcio del Museo Militar de Menorca y Patrimonio Histórico Militar (Consortium of the Military Museum of Menorca and Historic Military Heritage) Managed by: Cordial Hoteles Telephone: +34 971 364 040 / +34 686 659 400 Web: www.fortalesalamola.com € 51
XALUBINIA ART CENTRE 52
XALUBINIA ART CENTRE Location: Carrer Baixamar, 54-56 Town: Alaior Telephone: +34 971 371 365 Web: www.xalubinia.blogspot.com.es
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SANT DIEGO CULTURAL CENTRE 54
SANT DIEGO CULTURAL CENTRE Location: Carrer des Banyer, s/n. Town: Alaior Owned and managed by: Alaior Town Council Telephone: +34 971 378 322 Web: www.alaior.org
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ALAIOR TOWN COUNCIL EXHIBITION CENTRE 56
ALAIOR TOWN COUNCIL EXHIBITION CENTRE
Location: Carrer Major, 11. Town: Alaior
Owned and managed by: Alaior Town Council Telephone: +34 971 371 002 Web: www.alaior.org
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ES MERCADAL MULTIPURPOSE CENTRE 58
ES MERCADAL MULTIPURPOSE CENTRE Location: Avinguda del Metge Camps, s/n. Es Mercadal Town: Es Mercadal Owned and managed by: Es Mercadal Town Council Telephone: +34 971 375 300 Web: www.aj-esmercadal.org
The multipurpose centre is a municipal building that was designed to be practical and functional. It was intended mainly for holding all kinds of cultural activities and events (concerts, theatre, dance, etc.) but it has also specialised in providing the island with a multipurpose space for running a range of training and cultural activities and events, such as lectures, seminars, conferences and the like. Its versatility and location in the centre of the island mean that it is much in demand throughout the year, with an average of 4 events every week involving around 25,000 users per year. 59
XEC COLL ART SPACE – PALAU SAURA MORELL 60
XEC COLL ART SPACE – PALAU SAURA MORELL Location: Carrer des Seminari, 5. Ciutadella Town: Ciutadella Owned and managed by: Ciutadella Town Council Telephone: +34 971 381 335 Web: www.ajciutadella.org
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SANT JOSEP ART SPACE 62
SANT JOSEP ART SPACE Location: Carrer Santa Clara, 9 Town: Ciutadella Telephone: +34 971 480 686 Web: www.obrasocialsanostra.com
Building dating from the 17th century standing on the site of a 14th century church dedicated to Sant Antoni. The layout is rectangular, with a single nave, no side chapels and the ceiling has three sections of rib vaulting. The facade you see today is the result of 19th century renovation work. Since 1989 it has been the exhibition centre for Fundació “Sa Nostra”. 63
“EL ROSER” MUNICIPAL 64
“EL ROSER” MUNICIPAL CENTRE
Location: Carrer del Roser Town: Ciutadella
Owned and managed by: Ciutadella Town Council Telephone: +34 971 383 563
The church of Roser was the work of Joan Amorós (1664-1707) and was completed in 1705, following the guidelines set by an architectural style with timid connections to the Baroque style. it was built on the site of a small church with the same name and has a single nave, a groin vaulted ceiling, three chapels on each side and the transept is covered by a dome and a semi-circular apse. The facade is especially interesting, with a richly decorated entrance and with an image of the Virgin of the Rosary over the top. 65
CAPÍTULO 5
OTHERS
HOSPITAL ILLA DEL REI MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL COLLECTION 67
HOSPITAL ILLA DEL REI MEDICAL AND BIOLOGICAL COLLECTION Location: Ma贸 Harbour Town: Ma贸 Owned by: Ma贸 City Council Managed by: Fundaci贸 Illa del Rei Telephone: +34 609 161 662 Web: www.islahospitalmenorca.org
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The island of Illa del Rei, in the Port of Ma贸, got its name from being the place where king Alfonso III disembarked in 1287. In 1711, Admiral Jennings ordered the hospital to be built, and it has undergone a number of changes until the mid-20th century, when it was abandoned and the area became derelict. Illa del Rei Hospital Foundation (Fundaci贸 Hospital Illa del Rei) was set up in 2005 and is responsible for recovering this heritage that has been forgotten for many years. Several rooms in the main block of the hospital now house a large medical collection donated by the families of prestigious doctors, such as Pablo Mir, Bernardo Sampol, Echevarria, Apellaniz, Cuadra, Vicente Roca, Osuna, Gabriel Sampol and Antonio Ramis. Six rooms contain hospital material and two others display pharmaceutical items. The autopsy room is fascinating and is dedicated to Scottish surgeon George Gleghorn, who carried out more than a thousand dissections between 1736 and 1749. Another interesting area is the electro-medicine room with extremely valuable material, including cathode rays, quartz light and X-rays. There is also a biology room with an impressive malacology (the study of molluscs) collection donated by the widow of doctor Jos茅 Ramos.
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The collection comprises more than 5,000 shells (not all from the island). In addition to the shells, which are catalogued by family, size and place, the room also contains the doctor’s desk and the extensive library he compiled on the subject. This room also houses the collection donated by German biologist Rita Pabst.
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The Hospital also has a large library collection consisting of nearly 3,000 generously donated publications. The collection is wide-ranging and 41% of the texts are in English. Every year, under the watchful eye of the pharmacists in charge of the Hospital Illa del Rei Pharmacy, cuttings are taken from plants growing in the Medicinal Plants Garden next to the Hospital. These plants were an essential part of 18th-century medicine and are still cultivated today. The Hospital’s medicinal plant collection continues to grow and research is being carried out on their properties. 71
ARTISAN CENTRE 72
ARTISAN CENTRE
Location: Carrer Metge Camps s/n (Recinto Ferial) Town: Es Mercadal
Owned and managed by: Centre Artesanal de Menorca Telephone: +34 971 15 44 36 Web: www.artesaniademenorca.com
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The Artisan Centre of Menorca (Centre Artesanal de Menorca) is a crafts centre and meeting point for local artisans and the community in general. It opened in 2005 and is based in the old Es Mercadal military barracks. The building, which is over a century old, is listed as a h e r i t a g e a s s e t . The Centre aims to be a focal point for craft production on the island and promotes all kinds of crafts as well as helping to preserve and publicise traditional trades and skills as part Menorca's historic m e m o r y . Visitors can see all the items displayed in the permanent exhibition (temporary exhibitions are also held from time to time), watch an audio-visual documentary about 7 traditional trades, look at books in the library and walk round the crafts garden to look at some typical Menorcan artisan pieces. The garden also contains ethnological items from Menorcan rural life and some of the island’s native plant species. There is a shop where visitors can buy products made by the artisans who are entitled to use the “Artesanía de Menorca" (Craftwork of Menorca) guarantee mark. 74
The centre is certainly an excellent meeting point between folk and traditional crafts, creative and modern crafts, and visitors.
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PEDRERES DE S'HOSTAL 76
PEDRERES DE S'HOSTAL Location: Camí Vell, km 1. Town: Ciutadella Owned and managed by: Asociación Lithica Telephone: +34 971 481 578 Web: www.lithica.es €
77
Originally a site for quarrying the local marés stone, the material traditionally used for building Menorca’s houses, the Quarries Pedreres de S’Hostal in Ciutadella offers visitors a labyrinthine walk around a sculpture park carved out of the rock, a lasting imprint of past quarrying activities and now inhabited by vegetation.
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The visit includes a walk round the gardens of the Laberint dels Vergers maze, an area that includes projects such as the Botanical Circuit and the Biodiversity Circuit, planted out with many specimens of Menorca's native flowers and plants. A series of information panels describe the various routes: Botanical, on the vegetation growing in the quarries and how it can be used; Zoological, on the wildlife typically found in quarries; Geological, on the formation and features of marĂŠs stone; and Ethnological, on the extraction and uses of marĂŠs stone and the various types of quarries where this stone is excavated. 79