Faro Lighthouses Lighthouse

This cylindrical concrete lighthouse, standing 46 meters tall, is situated on a barrier island east of the Faro channel entrance, marking Portugal's southernmost point at Cabo de Santa Maria within the Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. Its construction in 1996 utilized concrete, rising from a two-story masonry base and topped with a red lantern. The structure features an enclosed corridor connecting to a keeper's complex. The tower's focal height reaches 50 meters, and it emits a white flash every 17 seconds, visible for 18.7 nautical miles. Extensive restoration and lantern replacement were completed in the mid-1990s.

Why it matters: The lighthouse's position at the southernmost point of Portugal provides a critical navigational reference for vessels approaching the Faro channel. Its history of structural consolidation and reconstruction underscores the engineering challenges in maintaining navigational aids on this coast.