Sa Farola lighthouse
Also known as the Lighthouse of Ciutadella, Sa Farola stands on the northern side of the mouth of this town’s port.
The lighthouse
Its tower is 13-m high and has vertical black-and-white stripes. It flashes white once every six seconds. It stands 21 m above sea level and its lamp can be seen 14 nautical miles away.
Surroundings
The lighthouse on the headland of Sa Farola is to the north of the mouth of the old port of Ciutadella in an area of scattered houses. It stands on a small hill from where there are excellent views of the town on Ciutadella with the castel of Sant Nicolau on the other side of the port and, looking westwards, the neighbouring island of Mallorca. Just in front of the lighthouse house there is a small chapel, and a few metres away a flight of steps leading down from the promenade to an inviting cove for a swim.
History
Work on this lighthouse began in 1861 and it was inaugurated on 30 April 1863. On 1 March 1918 its electric light was turned on for the first time, the first such light on Menorca and only the fourth in the Balearic Islands. It has been remodelled on a number of occasions and, for example, over the years its tower has been extended and a protective wall has been built. This wall was built as a defence against the sea, which would flood the lighthouse and its buildings during storms.
How to get there
A thirty-minute walk will take you to the lighthouse via the bridge that separates the town from the port of Ciutadella. The Camí de sa Farola will take you to the lighthouse through an agreeably shady stand of pines. This walk is part of the Punta Nati-Ciutadella stage of the Camí de Cavalls.
If you are coming from somewhere other than Ciutadella and want to reach the lighthouse by car without entering into the town, the best way is to follow the northern ring-road to its end, where a signposted road will take you to the lighthouse.
Mapa
See the map Lighthouses of Menorca in Google Maps
See all the lighthouses of Menorca
Lighthouses of Menorca
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The lonely isolated locations of the majority of lighthouses, along with their singular silhouettes, have always meant that these unmistakeable symbols of coastal areas are much appreciated by many people. Their main raison d’être is to avoid accidents and tragedies and guarantee safe sailing. -
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The original lighthouse of Sant Carles was opened in 1852 but was demolished because it obstructed the firing practice of the nearby military gun emplacement.
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