Forn Curniola

This historic establishment opened its doors in 1900 when Guillem Pons and Catalina Truyol, the great-grandparents of the current owners, decided to set up a bakery on Calle de Curniola Street.

At the end of the 19th century, Guillem arrived in Menorca from Mallorca, initially to work as a labourer on the construction of the Cavalleria lighthouse, but after meeting Catalina, his future wife, he decided to settle permanently in Menorca. A few years later, they embarked together on their life’s project: a bakery that, more than a hundred years later, is still in operation.

In the early days, the bakery only sold bread. It served as a meeting place for the residents; interestingly, at that time many families would take their food there to be baked, as not every home had an oven yet. In fact, the name of the business was not chosen by the family, but rather by the neighbours themselves, who would say ‘let’s go to the Curniola bakery’, referring to the street where it is located, and over the years this name became widely used.

Later, with the arrival of the second generation, consisting of Joan Pons Truyol and Nieves Fraga, the business model of an artisan bakery and the same spirit of a neighbourhood bakery were maintained.

In the third generation, Guillem Pons Fraga and Maria Seguí Moll took it a step further and transformed the bakery into a patisserie specialising in traditional Menorcan pastries, adapting the business to the changing times. Guillem trained in Mallorca to broaden his knowledge of pastry-making but decided to always preserve the recipes and the family spirit that were so characteristic of the bakery his grandparents had started. Joan Pons Fraga, Guillem’s brother, also worked in the bakery, continuing the family tradition.

Today, the business is run by the fourth generation. Neus Pons Seguí, together with her family, is at the helm of the bakery, with the fifth generation already learning the trade. More than 125 years later, Forn Curniola remains open on the same street and in the same premises, keeping alive a part of the town’s history and the tradition of Ciutadella. The building is listed and recognised in the Town Council’s PEPCHA (Historic Centre Protection Plan), as it is situated within the historic centre of Ciutadella.