The Boujdour lighthouse (, , ) is a lighthouse located near
Cape Bojador
Cape Bojador (, Arabic transliteration, trans. ''Rā's Būjādūr''; , ''Bujdur''; Spanish language, Spanish and ; ) is a headland on the west coast of Western Sahara, at 26° 07' 37"N, 14° 29' 57"W (various sources give various locations: this ...
in the city of
Boujdour
Boujdour (or Bujdur, Bojador, , ) is a city in the disputed territory of Western Sahara, near Cape Bojador.
It is de facto administered by Morocco, which includes it in the administrative division of the Southern Provinces.
It is an urban municipa ...
in the
Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra
Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra () is one of the twelve regions of Morocco. It is mainly located in the disputed territory of Western Sahara: the western part of the region is administered by Morocco and the eastern part by the Sahrawi Arab Democratic ...
region of Morocco. The Boujdour lighthouse became a historical monument in the southern provinces of Morocco after the
annexation of Western Sahara
The annexation of Western Sahara occurred in two stages: 1976 and 1979. Shortly after Spain gave up control over Spanish Sahara in 1975, both Mauritania and Morocco occupied the territory. On 14 April 1976, the two countries annexed it between the ...
to Morocco in 1976.
History
The lighthouse is on the
Atlantic
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
coast in the center of the city of Boujdour, south of
Laayoune
Laayoune or El Aaiún (, Latn, ar, al-ʕuyūn , , ) is the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, with a population of 271,344 in 2023. The city is the ''de jure'' capital of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, though it ...
. The present structure replaced a 1903 square tower on the fort of Boujdour. It was built while Western Sahara was a Spanish colony. Work began in 1953 and the lighthouse was commissioned in 1959. Morocco took control of the territory in 1975 and created
Boujdour Province
Boujdour Province () is a province in the Moroccan occupied region of Laâyoune-Sakia El Hamra, Western Sahara. Its population in 2004 was 46,129. Its major town is Boujdour.
Its territory, which is part of Western Sahara claimed by both Morocco ...
in 1976. The legal status is still disputed.
Structure
The lighthouse tower is high. The building has a circular diameter of about . The structure contains a particularly hard stone, similar to granite. It is a white conical concrete tower, with beige vertical stripes. It has a spiral staircase with 246 steps. The equipment has been modernized. The light emits three white flashes every 15 seconds, at a focal height of above sea level, with a maximum range of approximately .
The lighthouse is considered a historical monument. It is managed by the Port and Maritime Authority within the
Ministry of Equipment, Transport and Logistics.
Notes
Citations
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Boujdour Lighthouse
Lighthouses in Morocco