They have been guiding the darkest night of sailors, corsairs and pirates for centuries. Lonely and mysterious, the lighthouses have become guardians of legends, some dark, despite their altruistic essence, as the Nobel Prize for Literature George Bernard Shaw defended, "built to serve". In Mallorca these light towers have witnessed conquests and treasure the history of steep cliffs. The island preserves some of the oldest in Spain, and even in the world.
The privileged geographical situation of the largest of the Balearic Islands, a place of passage for many maritime routes that cross the Mediterranean, and its more than 550 kilometers of coastline have made it have 14 lighthouses, most of them installed in the mid-19th century. Its light towers are part of the island's popular legends and some even hold the title of being one of the oldest in Europe.
Although advances in navigation systems have meant the disappearance of many of them, their architectural beauty and the history that their walls treasure continue to make them a refuge for inspiration. We suggest a route through some of the most charming lighthouses in Mallorca, which have captured the lyrics of writers such as Camilo José Cela or the verses of singer-songwriters such as Joan Manuel Serrat.
The Formentor Lighthouse is perhaps one of the best known. A winding road, guarded by bays and cliffs on each of its sides, leads to this corner located in the extreme north of the island, in the municipality of Pollensa. It receives so many visitors, especially during the summer season, that in the summer of 2022 it was decided to limit access by private car and it could only be reached by bus or taxi.
It was inaugurated in 1863, after complicated construction work that lasted five years in one of the wildest landscapes of Mallorca. Despite the difficulties, it was possible to build its 22-meter-high tower and various houses for the lighthouse keepers, all located 210 meters above sea level. Currently, the old houses of lighthouse keepers house restaurants.
If this place stands out for something, it is for its coveted sunsets that have inspired authors such as Miquel Costa i Llobera, to whose family the peninsula on which the lighthouse stands belonged, or Camilo José Cela. The Nobel Prize for Literature decided to promote the celebration of the Poetic Conversations of Formentor on this same peninsula, which was attended by authors such as Vicente Aleixandre, Blas de Otero or José Saramago.
The Porto Pi lighthouse can boast of being the second oldest in Spain and one of the oldest in the world that is still in operation. The first references to its existence appear in a text dated September 12, 1300 as part of the testament of King Jaume II of Mallorca. More recently, specifically in 1972, it was decided to turn off its light as it was considered unnecessary given the latest developments that the port incorporated. However, the decision only lasted five years. On April 1, 1977, it was turned on again given the historical legacy of its operation.
Located in Palma, it currently houses a museum space in which to visit one of the best collections in Europe on material used in maritime lighting. In addition, its museum also allows you to learn a little more about the history of the different lighthouses that stand on the island's coast. In 1983 it was declared a historical-artistic monument.
On the east coast of Mallorca, the colorful fishing village of Portocolom is home to the lighthouse that bears the same name as the town. It was inaugurated in 1863 and was built at 42 meters above sea level. Even today it has a century-old optic, from the lighthouse that was located in the natural park of Sa Dragonera, one of the few virgin islands of the Balearic Islands.
It is bicolor, its tower rises in blue and white stripes, something not very common on the island. At nightfall, your light is capable of a nominal range of 20 nautical miles. In its more than 160 years of history, it has given birth to sailors to reach a safe port, but also to others who came to the island with very different intentions. In November 1937, with the country immersed in the midst of the Civil War, a detachment of soldiers from Adolf Hitler's Nazi army occupied it as part of their military plan on the island.
Since 1861, the light from the Capdepera lighthouse has warned navigators of the limits of the channel between Mallorca and Menorca. Visitors who walk the cliff on which it stands, 76 meters above sea level, on clear days can glimpse the neighboring island on the other side of the channel. Its eastern location allows you to enjoy one of the most coveted sunrises on the island, but before contemplating this postcard you will have to cross a winding and narrow road to reach it. The beauty of the place served as inspiration for Joan Manuel Serrat for Cada loco with his theme.
During the second half of the 19th century, the keepers who were in charge of guarding one of the most voracious seas in the Balearic Islands had to help the victims of shipwrecks that frequently occurred nearby. These workers, condemned to face the fearsome Tramuntana, were awarded the Charity Cross by the Government of Spain in 1869.
It is the southernmost lighthouse on the island. Its location allows you to contemplate the island of Cabrera. Unlike all the previous ones, which were raised on steep cliffs, the Cap de Ses Salines lighthouse is located at sea level and in an area far from urban centers. It is a perfect place to contemplate the starry sky at night and visit some of the best beaches in Mallorca, such as Cala Màrmol and Es Cargol, during the day.
In 1983, more than a century after its inauguration in 1863, it included photovoltaic energy in its installation, becoming the first lighthouse in Spain to be illuminated with solar panels. The Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies currently occupies the facilities to carry out research on the Mallorcan coast.
When it comes to height, the list of these portentous giants that guard the island is headed by the Cap Gros lighthouse, located 120 meters above sea level. It is located at the entrance to the bay of Puerto de Sóller and offers views over one of the most emblematic ports of Mallorca. Built in 1842, it was not until 1859 when it was illuminated and transferred to the Ministry of Public Works. In front of it, on a promontory at the eastern entrance to the port, you can also see the Sa Creu lighthouse.
From the lighthouse you can visit the Muleta refuge, one of those that form part of the Dry Pedra Route of the Sierra de Tramuntana (GR221), and start a day of hiking.
For the last five months he has been in Punta Avançada, the last inhabited lighthouse in Mallorca, where Molinete and his family have lived for more than 30 years. Pérez Arévalo is in charge of the maintenance and repair of all the lighthouses on the island, which is why he travels daily along a large part of the coast.
