Cas General. Formerly the residence of the Island Governor

Cas General. Formerly the residence of the Island Governor

C.M.W.Maó10/01/11 0:00
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Maó's latest bid to have a parador sited in the town, in this instance in Cas General, appears not to have borne fruit, at least in the near future; the State Government having announced that no further projects will be added to the 14 currently in construction or planned, before the end of this legislature, in 2012.

In January 2009 the Mayor of Maó, Vicenç Tur, proposed the Military Governor's Palace in Calle Isabel II as a candidate for conversion to a parador after problems had arisen with the owners of the previous site proposed, the isle of Lazereto. At present more than 200 sites throughout Spain have been put forward as possible additions to the 93 existing paradors which are managed by Turespaña. The latest addition to the list is situated in Cruz de Tejada in the Canaries and was inaugurated in February 2009.

Formerly known as the Casa del Rey, Cas General was originally constructed as a small fortified building during the town's first expansion following the island's conquest by King Alfonso III. Rectangular in shape, it was protected by exterior towers. It was furnished to provide accommodation for the island's governor on visits from his place of residence, Ciutadella.

Following Governor Richard Kane's decision to transfer the capital of the island from Ciutadella to Maó, Cas General became the island governor's residence in 1722. The British governor and his successors extended the building during the succeeding different dominations of the island. In 1807 the main facade was reformed and the protected building is now part of Maó's architectural heritage.