BIODIVERSITY PATH▸ 15 The Vegetal Labyrinth
THE LABYRINTHS OF S’HOSTAL QUARRIES: A LABYRINTHINE SPACE
For years, the extraction of marés sandstone used to build the houses of Menorca has created a labyrinthine universe carved into the rock.
The LITHICA project: the Daedalian idea. The quarry is a labyrinthine path where one can get lost and find themselves among stone walls and gardens.
The Labyrinths of LITHICA were inaugurated to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the LITHICA Foundation. Their paths lead us back to the archetypal, mythological, and symbolic journey we map out through our own life experiences. Carved, etched, excavated, and weathered stone accompanies us as we venture into the heart of the island.
The Vegetal Labyrinth
At the heart of the gardens lies a circular, unicursal labyrinth, inhabited by Mediterranean plants that release their aromas as we pass. A path that invites us to focus and practice introspection.
Laberint Mineral
At the foot of the Totem, the stone giant, in the depths of the cubic space created by mechanical extraction. The Great Labyrinth is multicursal and playful, its design echoing the Cretan pattern of the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.
Created from three thousand stones in a dry-stone stacked geometry. With this labyrinth, LITHICA metaphorically succeeds in returning to the quarry the stones it has given us throughout its history to build our buildings, while at the same time creating new paths for quarries where extraction has ceased.
THE VEGETAL LABYRINTH
In the heart of the ancient quarries, within the depths of the Proas quarry, lies a labyrinth of classic circular design. Its paths are home to aromatic plants—native and endemic species—selected from those that reach a minimum height of 50 cm at maturity.
A Path of Focus and Introspection
Different species are arranged according to the color, aroma, and texture of their foliage to create contrasts as an educational resource. These features aid in their identification and memory, adding a playful and aesthetic dimension to the journey while fulfilling the mission of showcasing Menorca’s native flora.
The walker will follow and retrace the path laid out with cantons (sandstone blocks), flanked by seven botanical hedges 35 cm wide, created from a composition of native and endemic plant species. The north-south and east-west axes are marked by trees chosen for their symbolic language, which engage in a dialogue with the Common Hawthorn at the center of the cross.
General specifications:
- Circular, unicursal design
- Diameter: 15 m
- Surface area: 177 m2
- Linear length: 140 m
- 7 sections of marés sandstone paving (60 cm wide)
- 7 botanical hedges (35 cm wide)
- 18 native plant species
Photos: LITHICA Archive
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