The São Julião Lighthouse is located in the fort of the same name, which is the largest sea defence structure in Portugal and is situated on a headland on the north bank of the
River Tagus
The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections, to e ...
estuary in
Oeiras,
Lisbon District
Lisbon District ( pt, Distrito de Lisboa, ) is a district located along the western coast of Portugal. The district capital is the city of Lisbon, which is also the national capital. From its creation until 1926, it included the area of the cur ...
.
It is a square masonry tower and the lantern is painted white, with a red dome.
History
The
fort of São Julião da Barra
The São Julião da Barra Fort is the largest and most complete military defense complex in the Vauban style remaining in Portugal. It is located in São Julião da Barra, on the point of São Gião, in the parish of Oeiras e São Julião da Bar ...
was constructed primarily for defence and follows an irregular pentagonal design. Today it is the national headquarters of the Ministry of National Defence and official residence of the Minister. In 1758 orders were given to build a lighthouse in the fort. However, it is possible that an earlier lighthouse had existed from 1553 but that it was destroyed by the
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon earthquake, impacted Portugal, the Iberian Peninsula, and Northwest Africa on the morning of Saturday, 1 November, Feast of All Saints, at around 09:40 local time. In combination with ...
.
The work initially involved building a stone lantern in 1761 but in 1775 an
Argand lamp
The Argand lamp is a type of oil lamp invented in 1780 by Aimé Argand. Its output is 6 to 10 candelas, brighter than that of earlier lamps. Its more complete combustion of the candle wick and oil than in other lamps required much less frequent ...
with a parabolic reflector was installed. Between 1848 and 1865 modernization work was carried out and a 4th Order
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens ( ; ; or ) is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel (1788–1827) for use in lighthouses. It has been called "the invention that saved a million ships."
The design allows the c ...
was installed, producing a fixed white light, fuelled with gas distilled from wood. From 1880 the lighting was obtained from petroleum gas. The lighthouse underwent further repairs in 1893 and 1913. A foghorn was installed in 1916 but almost immediately thereafter operations ceased until 1918 because of the First World War.
In 1933 a red lamp was installed and, at the same time, the lighthouse was connected to the electricity grid. Integrated in the telecontrol network of the approaches of the port of Lisbon, it was automated in 1980, and became remotely controlled. Together with the
Bugio lighthouse it marks the entrance or exit of the
Lisbon Bar, the Bugio light being green. The São Julião lighthouse is 24 metres tall, with an altitude of 39 metres.
It marks the entrance to the port of Lisbon, along with the
Bugio lighthouse.
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
*
{{Authority control
Lighthouses in Portugal
Buildings and structures in Oeiras, Portugal