Lighthouse La Mola

Projected (1861) by Emili Pou, this lighthouse is perched atop a 158-metre cliff, its tower rising 21 metres further up. Its operation went from running on oil to paraffin, then petroleum, and now, it runs on electricity. The light it emits is continuous with a brief blink that repeats every 4.67 seconds. It is impressive to see the radial succession of light beams projected out to infinity from the tower.

Although it is often said that Jules Verne got his inspiration from this lighthouse for his novel "The Lighthouse at the End of the World" ("Le phare du bout du monde"), Formentera in fact is the setting for another novel of his, Hector Servadac. 

In it, scientist Palmyrin Rosete is inside the lighthouse to take measurements when a comet rips up part of the Mediterranean and whisks him off on a trip through outer space. The Palmyrin character is based on French astronomer François Arago, who was in Formentera in 1808 completing the measuring of the Paris meridian.