Name and Location

Far de la Mola, also known in Spanish as Faro de Formentera or Faro de la Mola, is a principal lighthouse guiding shipping east of Formentera in the Balearic Islands, Spain. The lighthouse is located on the high cliffs of the La Mola peninsula at an elevation of approximately 120 meters above sea level.

2. Construction and History

The lighthouse was inaugurated on March 2, 1861, as part of Spain's mid-19th-century lighthouse programme. Its original name was Far de Formentera, locally known as Faro de la Mola. The lighthouse was temporarily extinguished during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). It is a protected cultural heritage site under Spanish Coastal Law and included in the Balearic cultural heritage inventory.

3. Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a 19th-century masonry architecture with neoclassical proportions. The tower is a cylindrical stone structure, white rendered, with a single gallery and lantern. Its height above its base is 21 meters, while the site elevation is approximately 120 meters above sea level. The construction materials used are local limestone and brick, rendered and painted white.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse has a focal height of 121 meters above sea level. It uses a modern electric lamp (halogen or LED) that is continuously powered and automated. The range of the light is approximately 18 nautical miles (33 km). Its characteristic is a group of three white flashes every 20 seconds (Fl (3) W 20 s). The lighthouse is fully automated since the late 20th century and monitored by the Autoridad Portuaria de Baleares.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is accessible via the PM-820 road from Sant Francesc Xavier, with limited parking alongside the cliff edge. Public transport is available through a seasonal bus service from Sant Francesc Xavier. On-site facilities include an interpretation centre, restrooms, picnic area; no café. The lantern tower itself is closed to the public, but the plateau offers panoramic sea views.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the cliff-top vantage point, visitors can enjoy views of Ibiza to the northwest, Formentera's salt flats below, and the endless horizon to the east. The landscape is characterized by arid Mediterranean scrub interspersed with traditional dry-stone walls.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local legend, in the 19th century, the light keeper's family once spotted a ghost ship in the pre-dawn mist (unverified local tale). Smugglers were reputedly known to have used the caves below during phylloxera outbreaks to store contraband.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse transmits AIS AtoN messages, but there is no dedicated radar installation. The site's nautical chart information can be found in Spanish Hydrographic Institute Chart 2503; INT 738.

9. Further Information

For further reading and external links, see the Catalan Wikipedia page "Far de la Mola", Wikidata entry Q5856434, Port Authority of the Balearic Islands – Lighthouses page (in Spanish), and "Lighthouses of Spain" by Antonio Martín – vol. II, Editorial Marítima, 1998.