Cabo Raso Lighthouse

Cabo Raso Lighthouse is an active Portuguese lighthouse that is located in the Fort of São Brás of Sanxete, near Cascais, Lisbon District. It is a cylindrical, red, metallic tower, thirteen meters high, with a lantern and balcony and attached buildings.

Cabo Raso Lighthouse
Farol do Cabo Raso
LocationCascais, Portugal
Coordinates38°42′34.00″N 9°29′09.00″W
Tower
Constructed1894
Constructioncast iron Edit this on Wikidata
Automated1984
Height13 metres (43 ft)
Heritageheritage without legal protection Edit this on Wikidata
Light
Focal height23 m (75 ft) Edit this on Wikidata
LensFifth-order Fresnel
Range20 nautical miles
Characteristic Fl(3) W 15s Edit this on Wikidata

History

The small maritime fort of São Brás of Sanxete was originally erected, together with the nearby fort of Cresmina, to protect the Guincho Beach, a vast sandy area where enemy ships could easily disembark troops. In 1894 the fort ceased to serve a defensive function and a lighthouse beacon was installed on the site.

In 1884, the Portuguese Commission on Lighthouses and Beacons decided on the need for construction of a lighthouse at Cabo Raso. The original plan was modified in 1893, because it was going to prove too expensive. The cheaper solution involved building a house for the lighthouse keeper, with 4 rooms. The light was installed on a slab positioned in front of one of the windows of the house, and, after its use, was moved into the interior of the room on a wooden carriage that rested on rails. This lighthouse went into operation on January 1, 1894, with a fixed oil light. In 1914, a sound signal was added, created by a tube of compressed air. The following year, the light of the lighthouse was finally transferred to the current iron tower, which is painted red and has a range of twenty nautical miles.[1][2]

This lighthouse was electrified in 1947, connected to the public power grid in 1969 and automated in 1984. In December 2003 the previous light system was replaced and an ML-300 flashlight with TF 3B flasher and 50W12V lamps was installed.[2]

See also

References

  1. "Farol do Cabo Raso". Cascais Municipality. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  2. "Farol do Cabo Raso". Visitar Portugal. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
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