Farol do Cabo Mondego/Farol de Buarcos
Farol do Cabo Mondego/Farol de Buarcos has a focal height of 98 metres, a tower height of 15 metres and a range of 28 nautical miles. It was built in 1922.
- Focal height
- 98 metres
- Tower height
- 15 metres
- Range
- 28 nautical miles
- Built
- 1922
- Automated
- 1988
- Light characteristic
- [[Light characteristic|Fl W 5s]]
- Coordinates
- 40.19111, -8.90528
The Farol do Cabo Mondego, also known as the Cape Mondego Lighthouse, is situated in the Figueira da Foz Municipality in Portugal. The lighthouse was constructed in 1922, replacing an earlier lighthouse to its south, and was built with a square white masonry tower that stands 15 meters tall, with a focal height of 97 meters above sea level.
The lighthouse has undergone several modifications since its construction, including the installation of a third-order Fresnel lens, electrification, and automation in 1988. The light's range is 28 nautical miles, and its characteristic is a flashing white light that occurs every 5 seconds. The lighthouse is located 3 nautical miles north-northwest of the Mondego River estuary, serving as an important aid to navigation for maritime traffic in the area.
The history of the Cape Mondego Lighthouse dates back to 1836, when the first request was made to the government for the construction of a lighthouse in the area. After several years of planning and construction, the first lighthouse was completed in 1858, and it was one of the first in Portugal to be equipped with a Fresnel lens. Over the years, the lighthouse has undergone several upgrades and modifications, including the installation of a sound signal and the replacement of its clockwork mechanism with an electric motor. Today, the lighthouse remains an important navigational aid and a notable landmark in the region.
Light and tower
The light has a focal height of 98 metres. The light has a range of 28 nautical miles. Its light characteristic is [[Light characteristic|Fl W 5s]]. It carries a Third-order [[Fresnel lens|Fresnel]] 500mm lens. It was automated in 1988.
Details
- Name
- Cape Mondego Lighthouse <br />''Farol do Cabo Mondego''
- Range Nm
- 28
- Lens Type
- Third-order [[Fresnel lens|Fresnel]] 500mm
- Year Built
- 1922
- Description
- The '''Cape Mondego Lighthouse''' () is situated 3 nautical miles NNW of the Mondego River estuary on the Portuguese Atlantic coast, in the parish of Buarcos, in the Figueira da Foz Municipality, in the Coimbra District. 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'' 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 Mondego River 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 was fitted, one of the first such lenses to be used in Portugal. Illumination was provided by a mechanical lamp powered by oil.
- Image Caption
- Cape Mondego Lighthouse
- Location Text
- [[Buarcos]], [[Figueira da Foz Municipality]], [[Portugal]]
- Focal Height M
- 98
- Tower Height M
- 15
- Year Automated
- 1988
- Light Characteristic
- [[Light characteristic|Fl W 5s]]