There are lovely stories to be told because inside them they hold reasons to be proud and grateful. This is the case of the volunteers of the Illa Del Rei, a group of anonymous people who for more than a decade have come to an islet in the Port of Mahón, to work together for a common cause.
Few places arouse such curiosity in Menorca like the Illa Del Rei, a triangular islet of 41,000m2 that crowns the largest natural port of the Mediterranean. It owes its name to King Alfonso III, who in 1287 landed here to conquer Menorca from the Muslims.
With the increase in navigation, the port of Mahón gained importance in the 18th century, and became a much-sought after area by the different European powers. It was in 1711 during English domination that it was decided to build a hospital for its armada, which later passed into the hands of the French and finally the Spanish in 1802. It continued operative until 1964 when it was closed down, falling into abandon with grass and weeds which eventually covered it, until in 2004, the Association of the Friends of Hospital Island (another name for it), set about the task of recovering its splendour.
Step by step and with great dedication, they have managed to turn it not only into a not-to-be-missed visit, but have also made it an information centre about Mare Nostrum, the Mediterranean, run today by the Association of Volunteers of the Illa del Rei. From the emeritus Queen Sofia of Spain to a multitude of famous figures, all have wanted to, at one time or another, come and pay homage to this example of a society with a commitment to its island.
