Lighthouse of Cabo de São Vicente - Sagres

The Lighthouse of Cabo de S. Vicente is a construction of the century. XVI, with reedificações in the XVII and XVIII.

It appears that in 1520 there was already a light, "a small Pharol of course very rudimentary, in particular a tower of the first convent of capucha S. Francis, the Bishop of the Algarve D. Fernando Coutinho, based in the Cabo de S. Vicente. "

According to Frei from Monfort, in his Chronicle of the Province of Piety "the tower also serve to shelter the monks who inhabited the convent, where one day were attacked by soldiers and luterano sailors, achieving save the relic of St. Vicente. The same chronicler also notes that therefore ordered D. John III make a tower more bigger and stronger shield for the convent (...)".

There were, however, these works enough, because in 1587, the corsair Francis Drake, took assault the convent, with such violence that ultimately destroy the tower. Consequently, the lighthouse remained off until 1606, by which time Philip II of Portugal have ordered the restoration of the tower.

The beacon of Cabo de São Vicente, and what such as exists today, is named D. Fernando and was built by D. Maria II, and the prove it an plaque that says: "This lighthouse was built by order of the warrant Snra. D. Maria II being Dir. The headlamps of the United Brigadier Gen. A.C.C.P. Furtado in Oct. Of 1846. "

The lighthouse came into operation in October 1846. Initially it was equipped with a device "catóptrico" and according to records kept, the first feature light of the light was "white rotation featuring full eclipses of 2 minutes and 2 seconds of flashes in the intervals, provided by 16 lamps of Dr. Argand with parabolic reflectors of copper galvanized with silver (...). The lighting of oil is generally of poor quality which obliges lighthouse mans to poke the lamps 4 times during the night. ". The rotation of this equipment was produced by a watchmaker's mechanism and the scope bright reached 6 miles. "
The lighthouse remained doomed to abandonment for many years and has even reached a deplorable state, as noted in records of 1865:

"... In the building enter the water from rain everywhere, (...) the balcony of iron wheel on the flashlight and cats that relate to stonework, finds itself all rusty (...). In flashlight counted seventy glasses parties (...) the reflectors of lamps think it is wrong cleaned (...). (...) As spies and terrace are in such a state that it is necessary to hold them through pieces of wire and rope by making this a cleaning outside of the glass lantern dangerous and almost impossible (...). Finally, there is everything conspires against the effect that should produce the lighting of this beacon, which gave the primitive is 30 miles range, where today offers more than 16 miles and very little splendor in the range of eclipses. (...) In view of what I have just explained it is of utmost urgency the transformation of the machine currently placed by a hyperradiante machine the last system adopted from 2.66 m in inner diameter with rapid flashes very powerful, frame and pivot and fluctuador of mercury that will give satisfaction to navigation as important in that point and prevent ace observations little pleasant who note in the books of navigation. "

In 1897, given the precarious conditions of preservation of the lighthouse and the consequent low yield of light that supported, started up work on dismantling the existing lantern and profound works of improvement and restructuring, which included changes in the tower, ending this to be in changed 5.70 m.

On March 25, 1908, completed the works, the lighthouse began operating with the unit hyper-radiant. Indeed, a device was installed lenticular of the Fresnel of 1330mm focal length - giving it the category of hyper-radiant, currently the largest optic headlamps that exists in Portuguese and one of the ten largest in the world, consisting of three panels of optical 8 square meters with 3.58 m high, floating at 313 kg of mercury. The light source installed, the lamp was a constant level of 5 twisted, but, years later, to work with the incandescent oil vapor. The rotation of the optical was achieved through a mechanism watch.

 The characteristic light, as prays Notice to the Navigators of the time, consisted of successive flashes white, 5 in 5 seconds, rotation in 15 seconds and reach bright about 33 miles.

In 1914 was installed a beep.

The lighthouse was electrify in 1926 with the assembly of engine generators, going to be used as a light source, the electric incandescent.

In 1947, through the application of panels for the deviation issuance light, it became a beacon aeromarítimo - a requirement of the air navigation during the 2 nd world war. A year later, was electrify with the public network energy.

In 1949, it was mounted a radiobeacon which remained in operation until 2001, and then deactivated by leaving to take interest for navigation - complying with the policy of radionavigation of our country and also the example of what happened with most countries from around the world, who extinguished their radiobeacons.

The lighthouse was automated in 1982 and equipped with several automated, enabling him since then, controlling the distance the headlamp of Sagres. Already in 2001, was installed a automatic programmable for the optical rotation.

 The size and beauty of the lighthouse and the strategic importance of the site, which attracts thousands of visitors a year, narrated that the Navy advantage order to install a pole museum and create conditions for reception of the public, they can learn about its history, mode of operation , and observe closely the whole imposing a viewpoint that not only continues to provide a good service to sailors, but also as a piece is worthy of highlighting the heritage of the Navy.
(Source from the portal of the Portuguese Navy; Directorate of Lights)