The APB highlights the role of lighthouses on the occasion of International Archives Day

The exhibition, titled “Destellos de la bahía: la luz de los archivos”, emphasizes the role of lighthouses as well as the original blueprint of the project that made the port connection road possible, through the preservation of historical archives.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands (APB) joins the celebration of International Archives Day with an interesting exhibition about the beginnings of the transformation of Palma’s port with the construction of the seafront promenade. “Destellos de la bahía: la luz de los archivos” recovers from its documentary collections the original blueprint of the project that made the port connection road possible, also highlighting the role of lighthouses in the transformation of the islands’ maritime façade.

Coinciding with the internationally recognized date of June 9th, the exhibition will be open at the APB’s institutional headquarters from next Monday until Friday, June 13th. On Monday the 9th and Friday the 13th, visiting hours will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while on the other days it will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The main item the APB Archive is highlighting for this occasion is the blueprint from the 1944 file, PO.218 — the connecting road from the Ribera Dock in San Carlos to the Commercial Port — which led to the construction of the seafront promenade. This road was originally conceived by engineer Gabriel Roca Garcías to connect the Old Dock with the port developments projected at that time, including the construction of the West breakwater.

The exhibition also specially emphasizes the role lighthouses played in the urban transformation of the archipelago’s coast. On display are the lighthouses of Portopí and Alcanada on the island of Mallorca, the Ciutadella lighthouse on Menorca, the Botafoc lighthouse on the island of Ibiza, and the Mola lighthouse on Formentera.

Additionally, the exhibition features historical elements of Palma’s port, such as the old Riba lighthouse, the APB institutional headquarters building, and the now-disappeared quarantine facilities. Among the displayed documents is a reproduction of a health patent.

True to tradition, the staff of the APB Archive has been celebrating International Archives Day for years with an exhibition open to the public, featuring original objects and documents aimed at raising awareness about the importance of historical documents in preserving the port’s historical memory.