Every day as we sail or travel around the harbour, we see the history of Mahón laid out before us – Isla del Rey, Quarantine Island, the Lazaretto, Fort Mola, Fort San Felipe and the more modern naval base, still operational today.

Perhaps more than any other feature, Isla del Rey has a story that spans centuries. From early Christianity to British rule, French invasions, and more recently, cultural revival, this island has worn many hats – including serving as one of the world’s largest naval hospitals.

Isla del Rey (or Illa del Rei) is a small island of just over 41,000 square metres sitting right in the middle of Mahón harbour. Traces of human presence date back to the 6th century when a Paleo-Christian basilica was built here with three naves and a font paved in mosaics. Hidden for centuries, it was uncovered in 1888 by local farmers. The restored mosaic is now displayed in the Museum of Menorca.

Once called Rabbit Island, it became Isla del Rey (“King’s Island”) in 1287, when King Alfonso III of Aragon used it as his base before reclaiming Menorca from Moorish rule. The legend goes that, during a wait for reinforcements, the King struck his sword into the ground and a freshwater spring appeared – a small miracle in a time of thirst.

The island later passed into the hands of the Xerés family until the British arrived in the 18th century. It was Admiral Jennings who saw its strategic potential and invested £468 of his own funds to construct the first naval hospital buildings in 1711. By 1740, visitor John Armstrong described it as a “capacious hospital” with facilities for officers, surgeons, and even the fleet’s commodore. He marvelled at the island’s breezy, peaceful beauty, calling it a potential “retirement for the contemplative mind.”

In 1756 the French took Menorca, but by 1763 the island returned to British hands. The hospital expanded, gaining an upper floor, 40 wards with up to 30 beds each, and further auxiliary buildings under Spanish control, including a chapel and priests’ quarters. At its height, Isla del Rey supported a population of over 4,000 patients, doctors, nurses and workers.

By the 1830s, the hospital’s reputation had spread across Europe. The French, newly in Algeria, asked to use the facility. The U.S. Navy treated sailors here injured in conflicts with North African pirates. Only Jamaica’s naval hospital surpassed it in global importance.

The hospital remained in Spanish hands until 1964 when a new facility opened in Mahón. Left abandoned, the island and its structures fell into decay. Plans for a private hotel came and went. It wasn’t until 2004 that a group of determined volunteers – the Associació Amics de l’Illa de l’Hospital – began reclaiming the island from nature. A month of clearing thick vegetation revealed the buildings, and by 2005 a foundation was created under the leadership of General Luis Alejandre.

Today, Isla del Rey has found a new rhythm. It welcomes visitors every Sunday via guided boat tours. Over 40 rooms have been lovingly restored, including operating theatres, autopsy rooms, a pharmacy and even x-ray facilities. A memorial honours the 248 sailors from the battleship Roma, treated here in 1943 after a devastating attack.

And now, the island has entered a new cultural chapter. Since 2021, the internationally renowned gallery Hauser & Wirth has established a presence on the island, creating a remarkable intersection of art, history and landscape. Their restored gallery space, sculpture trail and restaurant have made Isla del Rey a must-visit for history lovers and art enthusiasts alike.

As General Alejandre noted recently, this is the end of a long period of stagnation. The island is no longer just a relic of the past – it’s part of Menorca’s living future.

For more information, visit patrimoniomm.wordpress.com
Boat tours run with Yellow Catamarans: www.yellowcatamarans.com
To learn more about current exhibitions, visit: hauserwirth.com