Cacilhas Lighthouse

About

The Cacilhas Lighthouse (Farol de Cacilhas) is situated in the parish of Cacilhas, in the municipality of Almada, on the opposite side of the Tagus River from the Portuguese capital of Lisbon. Although not functioning, it was restored in 2009 as it is considered to be an important part of the area's heritage. The lighthouse started operating on 31 December 1885 for the purpose of indicating the southern limit of the anchorage area on the River Tagus, an area where fog is common. It consisted of a cylindrical tower, 12 metres high and with a diameter of 1.7 meters. It emitted an oil-fuelled, fixed white light over 342 degrees, with a fifth-order lens giving a nominal range of 11.5 nautical miles. In May 1886 a bell, controlled by clockwork, was added. In 1905 a device was installed to cover the light for five seconds every minute to distinguish it from the fixed lights of vessels on the river. As with other lighthouses in Portugal, the Cacilhas Lighthouse was shut down from March 1916 to the end of 1918, during the First World War. In 1927 it started to use acetylene gas for lighting, a fourth-order lens was installed and blue panels were added to give it a green light, to comply with international regulations for port lights. A pneumatic horn was installed in 1931 to replace the bell, which was donated to fishermen in Ericeira for use during fog. The lighthouse was

Adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Photography via Wikimedia Commons.