The Gibalta Lighthouse ( pt, Farol da Gibalta) is an active Portuguese
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
located at
Oeiras, about 10 km west of the centre of
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
.
It is a white cylindrical tower with dome and red veins, with illumination being supplied by a red fluorescent light. It was rebuilt in 1954 following a landslide which destroyed the old light and killed ten people on a passing train.
History
Gibalta Lighthouse, together with the neighbouring lighthouses of
Esteiro and
Mama
Mama(s) or Mamma or Momma may refer to:
Roles
*Mother, a female parent
* Mama-san, in Japan and East Asia, a woman in a position of authority
*Mamas, a name for female associates of the Hells Angels
Places
*Mama, Russia, an urban-type settlement ...
, were built to replace older lighthouses, originally built between 1878 and 1879 to guide ships into
Lisbon's port. These consisted of a catoptric device with a parabolic reflector and an Argand lamp with two twists. The previous Gibalta light was built in 1914 and, like its predecessor, it used a fixed red light. The lighthouse was 13 metres high and 30 metres above sea level. It was not until 1951 that a flashing light was introduced.
In 1952 there was a landslide of the land on which the lighthouse was built, causing its partial destruction. Known as the
Gibalta rail accident
The Gibalta rail accident occurred on 31 March 1952, on the Linha de Cascais
The Cascais Line ( pt, Linha de Cascais) is a Portuguese railway line which connects the municipalities of Lisbon, Oeiras, and Cascais. The line starts in Lisbo ...
the landslide caused the death of ten people on a train from
Cascais
Cascais () is a town and municipality in the Lisbon District of Portugal, located on the Portuguese Riviera. The municipality has a total of 214,158 inhabitants in an area of 97.40 km2. Cascais is an important tourism in Portugal, tourist de ...
to
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
, the line for which hugged the coastline and passed underneath the lighthouse.
On April 3, 1952, what was left of the lighthouse was demolished and a provisional light was mounted.
The current building began operation on February 10, 1954, about 30 metres from the former building. It is 21 metres tall and 30 metres above sea level. In 1981 it was automated. From 1987 to 1997 it was only lit from 1 October to 15 March, but from 1997 it has been lit all year round. After its construction a new coastal road, known as the “marginal”, was built to connect Lisbon with Cascais. To mitigate the effect of the lights from this road, 4 red fluorescent lamps were mounted externally on the tower. In the year 2000, a new
Omron remote control system was established.
See also
*
List of lighthouses in Portugal
This is an alphabetical list of lighthouses in Portugal and its autonomous regions.
Norte
* Casa do Facho em Fão (Esposende, Apúlia e Fão)
* Farol de Azurara (Vila do Conde, Azurara)
* Farol de Esposende (Esposende, Esposende, Marinhas ...
*
Directorate of Lighthouses, Portugal
The Directorate of Lighthouses in Portugal (''Direção de Faróis'') is responsible for managing the country's 47 lighthouses, as well as other marine navigation activities. It is headquartered in Paço de Arcos.
Lighthouses have played an impo ...
References
External links
*
{{Lighthouses in Europe
Lighthouses in Portugal
Buildings and structures in Oeiras, Portugal