The Cape Mondego Lighthouse () is situated 3 nautical miles NNW of the

Mondego River The Rio Mondego () or Mondego River is the longest river entirely within Portugal, Portuguese territory. It has its source in Serra da Estrela, the highest mountain range in Continental Portugal, mainland Portugal (i.e. excluding the Portuguese ...

estuary on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, in the parish of

Buarcos Buarcos is a ''freguesia'' (civil parish) in Figueira da Foz Municipality, Portugal. The population in 2011 was 18,454,

, in the

Figueira da Foz Municipality Figueira da Foz (), officially Figueira da Foz City (), often called simply Figueira for short, is a city and a municipality in the Coimbra District, in Portugal. Practically at the midpoint of the Iberian Peninsula's Atlantic coast, it is locate ...

, in the

Coimbra District Coimbra District (, or ) is located in the Centro Region, Portugal. The district capital is the city of Coimbra. Municipalities The district is composed by 17 municipalities: * Arganil * Cantanhede * Coimbra Coimbra (, also , , or ), of ...

. It was constructed in 1922, replacing an earlier lighthouse to its south. The lighthouse has a square white masonry tower, above sea level, together with annexes.

History

The Cape Mondego lighthouse is in the ''

Serra da Boa Viagem Serra da Boa Viagem is a mountain range in Portugal, it lies three kilometers north of Figueira da Foz. The range goes up to in altitude. Around 83% of its area is between high. In its westernmost point lies Cabo Mondego Cabo Mondego is a ca ...

'' to the north of Buarcos. The first request to the government for the construction of a lighthouse in the Figueira da Foz area was made in 1836. In 1853 a hydrographic survey of the port and sand bar in the

estuary was carried out to determine the best place for the construction of the lighthouse and in 1854 a study for the construction of a lighthouse was implemented, which identified the most suitable location. A year later, proposals for the construction of the lighthouse were presented but these were not initially accepted because of the cost involved. However, in August 1857 the lighthouse started to operate and in 1858 the construction work was declared to have been completed. A 2nd order

Fresnel lens A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens (optics), lens which reduces the amount of material required compared to a conventional lens by dividing the lens into a set of concentric annular sections. The simpler Dioptrics, d ...

was fitted, one of the first such lenses to be used in Portugal. Illumination was provided by a mechanical lamp powered by oil. In 1902, a commission appointed to revise the distribution and quality of lighthouses in Portugal concluded that the Cabo Mondego lighthouse should be modified. In 1916, a formal proposal was drawn up to change its location, moving it further to the north. Construction of the present lighthouse began in 1917 and was completed in 1922, with the new lighthouse being opened on 20 November 1922. In 1928, illumination began to be provided by oil vapour incandescence. In 1941, a sound signal consisting of a compressed air horn was installed and in the same year electrification was introduced, using generators. The light was connected to the public electricity network in 1947. In 1982, an electric motor to drive the optical device was installed, replacing the clockwork mechanism and in 1988 the lighthouse was fully automated. The tower is tall and the focal height is above sea level. The light's range is 28 nautical miles.

References

{{Lighthouses in Europe Lighthouses in Portugal Lighthouses completed in 1922

History

See also

References