Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia (Ibiza)

Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia

An example of simple religious architecture of Ibiza
Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia

An example of simple religious architecture of Ibiza
Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia

An example of simple religious architecture of Ibiza
Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia

An example of simple religious architecture of Ibiza

Church Sant Llorenç de Balàfia

Church built on a hilltop in the 18th century. Its austere architecture is characterised by an appearance of solidity from having no ornamentation and few openings to let in light.

The church of Sant Llorenç de Balàfia was built on a hill in the 18th century at the initiative of Bishop Abad i Lasierra. His purpose was to create rural parishes in order to try to put an end to the population dispersion (the total population in 1784 was calculated at around 15,000 people). This was the origin of the Sant Rafel, Santa Agnès, Sant Mateu, Santa Gertrudis, Sant Carles, Sant Agustí and Sant Llorenç churches.

The interior of the church is laid out in the Latin cross with side chapels and a barrel-vaulted ceiling. Noteworthy is the glazed ceramic tile trim along the bottom of the walls, creating a kind of wainscot.

On the outside, it is solid in appearance, a feature reinforced by the entry porch only opened by an arch and a small window with a lintel, and a small hollow that holds three crosses. All its walls are whitewashed in quicklime, except for a square tower attached to the north side, which features plain stone.