Atlantis, the wild and fascinating Ibizan quarry

A unique place rich in history where you can contemplate the magic of the island

Ibiza is a relatively small island, which however hides precious corners and many glimpses with views of incredible beauty such as Cala Llentia or the north coast.

An ancient story

In the sixteenth century, the Ottoman fleet and pirate ships constantly threatened the whole Mediterranean with countless attacks and cannon looting on the Spanish coasts, including those of Ibiza. This made it necessary to redesign the fortification of its historic center. The new military project carried out by the engineer Giovan Battista Calvi, involved the creation of several quarries for the extraction of stone and sandstone. The latter is certainly not very resistant but given the urgency it was used together with another more resistant one.

After 500 years the cut lines and the boxy rock are the recognizable signs of the relentless work to protect Ibiza. Today these spaces are mainly used as natural pools or points from which to dive dangerously by tourists and local people.

Why Atlantis?

In the 60s of the twentieth century the Hippie movement rediscovered one of these quarries in all its charm as an abandoned and idyllic place. Renamed with the name of Atlantis, in memory of the ancient sunken continent described by Plato in the 4th century BC. Actually his real name is Sa Pedrera de Cala D’hort. It soon became a destination for meditative meetings and parties. Even today, given the relatively soft constitution of the material, one can appreciate tribal drawings, alien faces, sculptures or graffiti often on the border between the work of art and vandalism.

Natural beauty

Its extravagant rock shapes, its sheer peaks, the lines that sink into the sea recall an ancient temple destroyed in the distant past. It is inevitable to be fascinated by the lights and shadows drawn on the stone during the sunset. The transparent sea, which laps its borders, offers moments of relaxation and discovery of the surrounding seabed. Be careful though, depending on the currents it can be infested by the Pelagia Noctiluca jellyfish. You have to be very careful.

Today

Atlantis is located near the natural park of Cala d’Hort and the reserve of the island of Es Vedrà. To reach the place you have to take a winding and steep path between shrubs, sand and rock. Arrival lately can be disappointing if you are looking for total isolation. Many tourists and onlookers spend several hours going down and up the steep path just to take a selfie. And parked yacths break the silence with deafening music and the shouts of those who, with courage, dare to dive from the rocks overlooking the sea.

The isolated position of the quarry and the increasing number of tourists have recently created many problems and accidents. We are talking about a quarry, which has no parapet or protection. Some steps can be dangerously high causing serious or even fatal accidents.

Sa Pedrera de Cala d’Hort represents above all the memory of the incessant and tiring work of the stone cutters. and the mystical visions of the hippies in this isolated place in close contact with nature.

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Marco Pachiega