Far de Llebeig

Far de Llebeig is a lighthouse standing on the southern tip of the island of Sa Dragonera, just off the coast of Andratx in Mallorca. Perched on a cliff 130 metres above sea level within the natural park that covers the entire island, it has guided ships along Mallorca's western coastline for more than a century.

Where is the lighthouse located?

Far de Llebeig stands on Cap de Llebeig, the southern point of Sa Dragonera — a small, uninhabited island separated from Mallorca by a narrow channel and administratively part of the municipality of Andratx. The whole island is protected as a natural park, and the lighthouse is one of two navigational lights guarding its coastline; the other stands at Cap de Tramuntana, on the opposite end of the island.

What is the history behind Far de Llebeig?

The lighthouse was designed by engineer and architect Eusebi Estada and formally inaugurated on 15 November 1910. It replaced the older, less efficient Na Pòpia lighthouse, which had previously guided ships through the same waters. Its construction was part of a broader push to modernize maritime lighting around Mallorca at the turn of the 20th century.

Far de Llebeig was technologically ahead of its time. It became one of the first lighthouses in the Balearic Islands to be fitted with a Chance incandescent petroleum-vapour lamp, a novelty that required specialized training. Keepers from other stations, including Capdepera and Isla del Aire, travelled to Far de Llebeig to learn how to operate the new equipment. Its distinctive light pattern — a single flash every 7 seconds — was made possible by an innovative mercury-float bath that allowed the optical apparatus to rotate far faster than conventional mechanisms of the time.

What does the lighthouse look like?

The building follows a layout typical of Balearic lighthouses: a 15-metre masonry tower rising from a stone dwelling topped with a red roof. This compact, integrated design — tower and keeper's house combined — allowed staff to live directly at their workplace, a practical necessity given the site's isolation.

Who kept the light running?

Three lighthouse keepers staffed Far de Llebeig when it first opened. Their number was reduced to two during the 1920s. The keepers lived on site with their families, leading an isolated existence on an uninhabited island, dependent on regular supply runs from Mallorca. Staffed operation continued for decades until the lighthouse was automated in the 1960s, when the keepers finally left the station.

Why is Far de Llebeig worth knowing about?

Far de Llebeig is more than a working navigational aid — it is a piece of the Balearic Islands' technical history, a site where new lighting technology was tested and refined before spreading to other stations across the region. Its setting on an uninhabited island within a protected natural park underscores the striking contrast between the lighthouse's precise engineering and the rugged, untouched landscape of Sa Dragonera.

Frequently asked questions

Is Far de Llebeig still operational? Yes, it still functions as a navigational light, though today it runs automatically — staffed operation by keepers ended in the 1960s.

How does Far de Llebeig differ from the lighthouse at Cap de Tramuntana? Both lighthouses guard the coastline of the same island, Sa Dragonera, but they stand at opposite ends — Llebeig to the south, Tramuntana to the north.

Who designed the lighthouse? Far de Llebeig was designed by Eusebi Estada, an engineer and architect active in Mallorca around the turn of the 20th century.

Why was this lighthouse technologically significant? Because it was among the first in the Balearic Islands to use a Chance incandescent petroleum-vapour lamp and a mercury-float rotating mechanism, drawing keepers from other stations who came to train in its operation.