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The Tostón Lighthouse () or El Cotillo Lighthouse is an active
The current lighthouse is the third in a succession of lights that have operated at the site on the promontory of Punta Tostón, which is also known as the Punta de la Ballena (whale point).
The original lighthouse was opened in 1897, and consisted of a 7 m high plain masonry tower on one corner of the single storey keeper's house. In the 1950s a new 15-metre concrete tower was constructed, which was also superseded by a taller tower in the 1980s. This distinctive 30 m concrete tower, which is white with red bands, has a focal height of 35 m above the sea. Its light can be seen for 14
Comisión de faros
Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toston Lighthouse Lighthouses completed in 1897 Lighthouses in Fuerteventura
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
on the Canary island
The Canary Islands (; ) or Canaries are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost Autonomous Community of Spain. They are located in the northwest of Africa, with the closest point to the continent being 100 kilometres (62 mi ...
of Fuerteventura
Fuerteventura () is one of the Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, geographically part of Macaronesia, and politically part of Spain. It is located away from the coast of North Africa. The island was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO i ...
. The lighthouse is situated on the northwestern coast of the island near to the village of El Cotillo, in the municipality of La Oliva. In conjunction with the lights at Pechiguera and Punta Martiño, it marks the narrow La Bocayna
La Bocayna or La Bocaina () is a sea strait that separates Lanzarote from Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands. The island of Lobos Island, Lobos is situated on the southern side of the strait, close to Fuerteventura.
In the 19th century, the stra ...
strait that separates Fuerteventura from the adjacent island of Lanzarote
Lanzarote (, , ) is a Spanish island, the easternmost of the Canary Islands, off the north coast of Africa and from the Iberian Peninsula.
Covering , Lanzarote is the fourth-largest of the islands in the archipelago. With 163,230 inhabi ...
.
History
The current lighthouse is the third in a succession of lights that have operated at the site on the promontory of Punta Tostón, which is also known as the Punta de la Ballena (whale point).
The original lighthouse was opened in 1897, and consisted of a 7 m high plain masonry tower on one corner of the single storey keeper's house. In the 1950s a new 15-metre concrete tower was constructed, which was also superseded by a taller tower in the 1980s. This distinctive 30 m concrete tower, which is white with red bands, has a focal height of 35 m above the sea. Its light can be seen for 14 nautical mile
A nautical mile is a unit of length used in air, marine, and space navigation, and for the definition of territorial waters. Historically, it was defined as the meridian arc length corresponding to one minute ( of a degree) of latitude at t ...
s, and consists of a flash of white light every eight seconds.
The original keeper's house has been renovated and reused as a museum with a small café. Visitors to the museum which contains an exhibition describing the traditional fishing of the island, can also climb to the top of the 1950s concrete tower.
A short c. 1 km self-guided walking trail circles the lighthouse. Multilingual signs describe the geology, shellfish and wildlife found on the headland. Most notable is the description of the Aljibe
A cistern (; , ; ) is a waterproof receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Cisterns are often built to catch and store rainwater. To prevent leakage, the interior of the cistern is often lined with hydraulic plaster.
Cisterns are disti ...
, a water collection system, next to the road leading to the lighthouse, which was used to provide drinking water for the keepers and their families.
See also
*List of lighthouses in Spain
This is a list of lighthouses in Spain.
Lighthouses
By autonomous communities
* List of lighthouses in the Balearic Islands
* List of lighthouses in the Canary Islands
See also
* Lists of lighthouses and lightvessels
This article c ...
* List of lighthouses in the Canary Islands
This is a list of lighthouses in the Canary Islands. The Spain, Spanish archipelago lies to the west of Africa, in the Atlantic Ocean.
Lighthouses
Map
See also
* List of lighthouses in Spain
* List of lighthouses in the Balearic Island ...
References
External links
Comisión de faros
Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toston Lighthouse Lighthouses completed in 1897 Lighthouses in Fuerteventura