Ibiza

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"Ibiza is but a small island being five leagues in the length by three in the breadth. . . . The whole island is a mass of high mountains, with the lower slopes covered by pine forests.

The chief town is very populous and stands on a great hillock which overlooks the sea. The town is enclosed by three walls, and in the space between every two they have built many houses.

There is a castle, with high towers and an encircling wall. On the summit of the hill within the town at the point above the sea, and facing the castle is the church, opposite, which has a very lofty tower that, so to speak, matches the castle. Beyond outside the town and the castle there is further another outer town wall.

Throughout the island of Ibiza are found many salt pans where much salt is produced, of a very fine quality. This is gathered at the close of the summer season, being produced by the evaporation of the sea water that has been let in. These salt pans give a good revenue, for yearly many ships come hither from the Levant, and load up with cargoes of this salt.

Within the town limits there stands a tower, wherein are many chambers, which is known as the Tower of Avicenna: for they say that Avicenna was a native of this island of Ibiza.

In the town walls and on their towers may be seen many marks of the cannon balls which the late king Don Pedro IV of Aragon discharged against this place when he was laying siege to the island [to eject the Barbary Moors]."

- Guy Le Strange, The Embassy of Clavijo to Tamerlane, 1403-1406 (London: Broadway Travellers, Routledge, 1928), Chapter 1, pp. 27-28.