Lighthouse of Ponta Garça

Lighthouse of Ponta Garça (Farol da Ponta da Garça)
Ponta Garça Lighthouse
Lighthouse (Farol)
A view of the lighthouse on the promontory of Ponta da Garça, in the area of Cinzeiro
Official name: Farol da Ponta da Garça
Named for: Ponta Garça
Country  Portugal
Autonomous Region  Azores
Group Central
Island São Miguel
Municipality Vila Franca do Campo
Location Ponta Garça
 - coordinates 37°42′51.74″N 25°22′12.35″W / 37.7143722°N 25.3700972°WCoordinates: 37°42′51.74″N 25°22′12.35″W / 37.7143722°N 25.3700972°W
Architects unknown
Style Modern
Material Cimento
Origin 1956
 - Completed 1957
Owner Portuguese Republic
For public Public
Visitation Closed to Visits
Management Marinha de Portugal
Operator Capitania do Porto de Ponta Delgada/Direcção de Faróis
ARLHS[1] AZO-606
Admiralty[2] D-2642
NGA[3] 23448
Type Dioptric-retroreflecting, with a third-order rotational beacon
Focal distance 500 mm
Beam distance 13–16 nautical miles (24–30 km; 15–18 mi)
Location of the lighthouse on the island of São Miguel
Wikimedia Commons: Ponta Garça Lighthouse

The Lighthouse of Ponta Garça (Portuguese: Farol da Ponta Garça) is a beacon/lighthouse located along cliffs of the civil parish of Ponta Garça in the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo, in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The lighthouse was built in the 20th century, and consists of a circular tower and rectangular communications block, comparable to other lighthouses in the archipelago, namely Ponte do Cintrão and Ponta do Rosais.

History

The lighthouse was constructed between 1956 and 1957, by the Comissão Administrativa das Novas Instalações para a Marinha (Naval Administrative Commission for New Installations), in an area of Ponta Garça called Cinzeiro.[4]

In 1979, two sections of red lamp were installed to differentiate the areas protecting the zones of the islet of Vila Franca do Campo and the lower Lobeira.[4]

Initially the beacon's illumination was accomplished with an acetylene lamp.[4] But, in September 1980, the lighthouse was connected to the public electrical network, thus making the acetylene lamp redundant. During this installation, a new 100W/220V lamp was installed in the beacon.[4] Seven years later, this lamp was replaced with a new 50W/12V lamp produced by a national manufacturer.[4]

Architecture

The lighthouse is located along the southern coast of the island of São Miguel, in the area referred to as Cinzeiro, about 101 metres (331 ft) above sea level.[4] The complex is encircled by a white plastered wall, with alameda forming a "L", with gardens and a vegetable garden (near the lighthouse keepers' residence).[4] The various buildings are interconnected by pavement stone and surrounded by pasture. Over the wall protecting the lighthouse is a granite plaque, with the inscription: MINISTÉRIO DA DEFESA NACIONAL MARINHA AUTORIDADE MARÍTIMA NACIONAL DIRECÇÃO DE FARÓIS - CAPITANIA DO PORTO PONTA DELGADA FAROL PONTA DA GARÇA 1957 (Ministry of the Naval National Defense, National Maritime Directorate of Lighthouses - Captaincy of the Port of Ponta Delgada, Lighthouse of Ponta da Garça 1957).[4]

The lighthouse consists of a tower, lighthouse keepers' residence and several annexes.[4] The 14 metres (46 ft) cylindrical tower is plastered and painted, identifiable by eight 14 metres (46 ft) high false radial buttresses that narrow closer to the circular balcony of overlapping rings, painted red. At the top of the lighthouse is a glass copula, covered in metal and painted red and surmounted by weathervain.[4]

The tower includes four registers, the first marked by a rectangular doorway and frame, the two intermediaries by friezes and the last by a window, from which a staircase accesses the copula. The top register window is flanked by two circular oculae.[4] Access to the lighthouse is made from the single-story rectangular auxiliary building, which is slightly inclined towards the front.[4] The front facade is plastered and painted, with the corners of exposed rock, with rectangular door flanked by two windows, framed and surmounted by two groups of five rectangles.[4]

The lighthouse keepers' residence, also rectangular, is a simple building covered in tile.[4] The facades are decorated with cornerstones, and encircled by brickwork, painted white and terminated in cornices.[4] The principal facade, oriented towards the east, is marked by a rectangular door flanked by two groups of low windows, interconnected by sill and top frame, consisting of six on the left and four on the right.[4] The lateral facades are dotted by central windows and sills above and below the frames, while a covered awning consisting of reinforced cement pillars.[4]

References

Notes
  1. ↑ "ARLHS World List of Lights (WLOL)". Merchantville, New Jersey: Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society/The Weidner Publishing Group. 2003. Retrieved 18 July 2011. |chapter= ignored (help)
  2. ↑ "Admiralty List of Lights (ALL)". Tauton, Sommerset, England: United Kingdom Hydrohraphic Office. 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011. |chapter= ignored (help)
  3. ↑ "NGA List of Lights". Springfield, Virginia: U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA). 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2011. |chapter= ignored (help)
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 Costa, Patrícia; Noé, Paula (2010), SIPA, ed., Farol da Ponta da Garça (IPA.00015923/PT072106020007) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 4 March 2014
Sources