Church of Salvador de la Marina (San Telmo)

The church in Ibiza’s seaside neighbourhood

When wandering through the Marina neighbourhood, it is easy to find yourself in front of the parish church of Salvador de la Marina, also known as the Church of Sant Elm (San Telmo). Built in 1469 by the city’s sailors’ guild, it was severely damaged during the Civil War, so its current appearance is the result of a reconstruction carried out in the 1950s.

The church consists of a single nave with a barrel vault and four semicircular arches, featuring eight side chapels and an upper gallery. Its interior, a refreshing refuge on summer afternoons, is characterised by a simple artistic heritage that reflects the humility of the seafaring parishioners who made up its community and the church’s vulnerability to attack due to its location outside the citadel.

A tip? Visit the church on 16 July, the feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel, patron saint of sailors.