What is a llaüt?

It is a wooden lateen sailboat about four metres in length (but there are bigger ones), with three masts. Although the origin of the llaüt is linked to fishing, its excellent stability at sea made the llaüt a common sight in the Mediterranean, so much so that it was used to smuggle tobacco to the island in the 60s.

The llaüt is small and very stable, even in rough seas. It originated on Mallorca as a boat intended for fishing, mainly trawling. Its past actually dates back all the way to the Phoenicians, but its true creators were the so-called "mestres d'aixa" (masters of the adze – a boat-building tool), or "carpinteros de ribera” (riverbank carpenters), a trade that is near extinction but still survives in certain areas of Mallorca, such as Portocolom, Manacor, Vilafranca and Port de Pollença.

Progress and social change cornered this traditional vessel, leaving it all but forgotten, and at the same time the workshops where they were repaired and built have been shut down. However, Mallorca's bond with this boat has never been broken, and it's part of the island’s most deeply rooted history.

Traditional boat workshops on Mallorca

The history of the llaüt has been rediscovered, little by little, especially after the llaüt was declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. There has been a workshop in Son Bonet, near Palma, for two decades now. It's a place where riverbank carpentry as a profession is valued, and where some of the most famous llaüts and traditional vessels of Mallorca are restored.

Some of these vessels can be seen in the Cultural Centre Ses Voltes, in the centre of Palma (in the park located by the cathedral) and in the Museo de la Mar, the Museum of the Sea, located in Port de Sóller, where you can also enjoy one of the most beautiful ports on the island.