The chapel that became a church
Its bell tower, trimmed in sandy-coloured stone and open on all four sides, is one of the hallmarks of this church, which was consecrated in the late 18th century following a protracted construction process that lasted several decades. If you’re heading to the beaches of Portinatx or Cala Sant Vicente, its south-facing façade will welcome you as you arrive in the small village of Sant Joan de Labritja, which is bustling on Sunday mornings thanks to its market selling crafts and farm produce.
The Labritja plain gave its name to this simple church, built with the aim of providing religious services to the farmers living in the north of Ibiza, which at that time was the least populated part of the island. The church was erected at the request of the local community on the land where Antoni ‘Milà’, a landowner, had built a chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist. The new church retained the original dedication, and the chapel was incorporated beneath a dome within the new building. Architecturally, the church features a single nave on a rectangular plan with a barrel vault, seven side chapels and a porxo on the outside.
A tip: if you’re on the island on 24 June, head to Sant Joan to join in the parish festivities of St John and celebrate the famous Nit de Sant Joan.
