Rafal is the name (Arab origin) that the Masías placed for agricultural properties that were directly managed by their owners. The house used to be called ´the hidden house´, as it was not possible to appreciate it until you were very close to it. This house appears on some of the oldest maps of Menorca.
It was one of the great manor houses of the island of Menorca, next to Ciudadela and the coast. From the large original estate, there is 63,850 m2 of land made up of the eleven fenced plots or ´tancas´, in which there is a main building or ´casat´ and a series of auxiliary buildings which were originally for agricultural use, that include a bore hole with an endless supply of water, a traditional bread oven, a large cistern, and two ´antique boyeras´s´ of 250m2 that could be done up to make little cottages or storage space.
The main house dates back to the XVIII century, the time that the Mediterranean became free from the threat of pirates and when they built the best buildings on the island. This is a 425 m2 building, or explained better it is a series of buildings intercalated and added on during its long history, which is a typical image of the area.
The construction is based on tidal stone, that marine limestone that is very characteristic of the Balearic Islands, and that in this case was taken from an existing quarry in the same property. An artisan and unequalled work performed by the stonemasons of the island.
This house is a magnificent example of the most traditional tidal architecture, where one can enjoy the large vault that covers the "porxada" or access porch, one of the traditional elements of Balearic architecture, as well as the arched vaults on the ceilings of all the rooms on the ground floor, which were carefully recovered a few years ago.
On the facade part of the stone is on display, as well as gutters formed by the tiles, widely used during this time to drive as much water as possible to the cisterns.
On the ground floor, the house has four large areas under the edge vault, three of them make up the living room, reception room and dining room, and the fourth is a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom. In addition, there is a trade/hobby in the old kitchen under vault of a half-barrel, and a fantastic kitchen.
The staircase that starts from the porxada itself leads to the first floor in a covered gallery that gives access to an area with a large living room, four bedrooms one of them with access to a terrace, and three bathrooms.
The house has all of the amenities, and is decorated with extraordinary taste, using the traditional and natural materials, and with furniture and elements acquired in the area, and that remain for the most part in the house.