Punta La Ventosa Lighthouse

Also known as: Punta La Ventosa (Punta Cortés, Faro de Cortés)

This hexagonal concrete lighthouse stands 8 meters tall, with its focal plane at 30 meters above sea level. It is painted with red and white vertical stripes and emits a white light, featuring a single white flash every 10 seconds. The current structure replaced an older square cylindrical rubblestone tower. Adjacent to the lighthouse are the remains of a smaller stone beacon, thought to be the original 16th-century Faro de Cortés. The lighthouse is located on a promontory approximately 800 meters south of La Ventosa and 5 kilometers east of Salina Cruz. The site is open to the public, though the tower is closed.

Why it matters: The lighthouse is named after Hernán Cortés, who arrived in the area in 1527, and stands next to the remains of a 16th-century beacon, linking it to Mexico's early colonial history.