Salinas de La Concepción (coastal saltworks)

Es Mercadal, Menorca island, Islas Baleares.
Medal/Award in the category Conservation / Conservation and adaptive reuse in the year 2026.

Dating of the building: 19th century.

Applicant: Salinas de La Concepción.

Reason for the award :

The Awards’ Jury highlighted: “This project illustrates the resilience of a traditional production landscape in the face of environmental and economic change. It successfully reconnects natural, cultural and landscape heritage, while supporting biodiversity and a sustainable local economy. The strong community involvement and privately led initiative demonstrate how heritage landscapes can be safeguarded through local commitment and long-term engagement. The recovery of the “Salinas de La Concepción” also reinforces awareness of this shared Mediterranean heritage across Europe.”

  • © Salva López
  • © Salva López
  • © Salva López
  • © Salva López
  • © Salva López

The restoration returned abandoned salt pans to active production, reviving traditional craft, strengthening local engagement and reconnecting a historic coastal landscape with its environmental and cultural role.

The “Salinas de La Concepción” are located on the north coast of Menorca. Established in 1853, the salt pans operated for more than a century before closing in the 1990s. After decades without maintenance, the clay evaporation basins had deteriorated, retaining walls had partially collapsed and the seawall had weakened under constant exposure to wind and sea.

In 2022, following a public concession granted by the Balearic authorities, the restoration programme began. The objective was to return the historic saltworks to active production while preserving their original structure and operation. The project reconnected the community with a heritage site that had shaped local life and economy for generations.

The intervention covered 5.7 hectares. Approximately four kilometres of perimeter and internal walls were rebuilt using more than 10,000 locally quarried marès sandstone blocks. The clay basins were cleaned, re-levelled and compacted by hand to re-establish the traditional system of water circulation and evaporation. The 250-metre seawall was reconstructed and slightly raised to respond to storm exposure. A historic jetty was rebuilt using stone and clay.

The restoration of the Salt Pans La Concepción reinstated the sequence of intake channels, settling ponds and crystallisation pans that define the salt-making process. Work followed historical documentation and on-site analysis of surviving traces.

Salt production resumed in 2023. The site now produces around 12 tonnes of “fleur de sel” and around 60 tonnes of sea salt annually. Harvesting relies on manual labour and natural evaporation. The project has created stable local employment and reintroduced a form of artisanal production that had disappeared from the island. Local schools visit the site, and partnerships with elderly homes and a disability employment workshop support harvesting and packaging activities. The site welcomed 3,000 visitors in 2025, expected to increase further to 5,000 in 2026.

Environmental measures formed part of the rehabilitation. Bird nesting islands were created in cooperation with the environmental association GOB. Microplastic filters were installed in the water intake system. The site lies within Menorca’s Biosphere Reserve and received the “Menorca Reserva de Biosfera” label in 2025. The project is part of a wider network of historic Mediterranean salt pans. The intervention represents a holistic model for recovering cultural, landscape and environmental heritage, combined with the rebirth of a craft practice typical of the local tradition.

The restoration was privately financed, with a total cost of approximately €820,000. The process has been documented in technical reports and a 35-minute documentary film.

www.saldemenorca.com

Others awards in Islas Baleares: