Anyone who says that all you can find at the beach is sea and sand hasn’t visited Ibiza’s Stonehenge. This artwork by Australian artist, Andrew Rogers, officially known as Time and Space – The Speed of Light, has become the new star attraction of the little-visited Cala Llentia (in the southwest of the island). For years, this sandy cove was overlooked by locals and tourists, mainly because it’s hard to reach and on a less attractive part of Ibiza’s coastline. But since 2014, mythology buffs, seasoned yogis and all kinds of interested visitors have come to these cliffs to look upon this strange stone circle.
What exactly can we find at Cala Llentia? One of the fifty monumental ‘land art projects’ which the Australian artist has placed all over the world, as part of his ‘Rhythms of Life’ collection. If we have piqued your interest and you’d like to know more about the Stonehenge of Ibiza, read on to discover its secrets. Don’t leave this Balearic Island before visiting this most modern of monumental sites.
Andrew Rogers is the creator of what has fast become famed as Ibiza’s very own Stonehenge. But it was the founder of Cirque du Soleil, Guy Laliberté, who made it possible by sponsoring the artwork. Laliberté wanted the monumental construction to be located between his home on the Balearic Island and the Mediterranean Sea, where there are some enviable views of the islet of Es Vedrà. Or so the rumours say, although this Canadian’s history of eccentric endeavours gives them some credence: let’s not forget that he was one of the first tourists in space.
As the artist himself explains, the Cala Llentia monument was built in just a week (at the beginning of 2014), using 420 tonnes of basalt that were shipped in from Turkey. It has thirteen columns in total: twelve of them are arranged in a circle and the thirteenth (the tallest column, at ten metres) is located in the centre and crowned by 23-carat gilded section.
Ibiza’s Stonehenge is informed by philosophical principles, or at least that’s how Rogers explains it. The central column aligns with the sun on the day of the Winter Solstice. The rest of the columns are laid out according to the Fibonacci sequence, in terms of height and the spacing between them. Their positions are closely related to the orbits of the planets around the sun.
So, now that we’ve learnt a little about the background and origin of this sculpture, it’s time to find out how you can visit it. Perhaps the most unexpected thing about Ibiza’s Stonehenge is that it was constructed without any kind of licence or permit, and completed in a matter of days. And since then, it’s continued to surprise the countless people who have stumbled across it by chance.
Very close to the stone circle, you can find another unusual work of art: a meeting point for all kinds of curious minds seeking magic, peace or adventure. The majestic Doors of Cala Llentia (Puertas de Cala Llentia), also on Laliberté’s land, stand facing each other and are covered with beautiful decorative patterns.Would you like to round off your trip to Ibiza with a unique experience?Hire a boat