Ponta Garça Lighthouse

Category: Civil Architecture > Lighthouse

District: Açores > Vila Franca do Campo > Ponta Garça > Canada do Cinziero

Location

Situated on the island of São Miguel, in the Azores, the Ponta Garça Lighthouse stands majestically in the area known as Canada do Cinziero, in the locality of Ponta Garça, belonging to the municipality of Vila Franca do Campo. Positioned on the island's south coast, at an altitude of 101 meters, the lighthouse enjoys a privileged setting. Surrounded by vast pastures, the complex is enclosed by a white wall, within which are small gardens and an avenue. This isolation offers visitors a wide and unobstructed perspective of the ocean and the island's coastline.

A Guide with History

Built between 1956 and 1957, the Ponta Garça Lighthouse has since played a crucial role in the safety of maritime navigation in the Azores. Its construction marked the introduction of a standard project in the archipelago, shared with other similar structures. Initially, lighting was provided by an acetylene system, later evolving in September 1980 to electrification with connection to the public grid. In 1979, red light sectors were installed, crucial for signaling the Ilhéu de Vila Franca do Campo and the Lobeira shoal, demonstrating its continuous adaptation to the needs of orienting navigators. A granite plaque on site bears the inscription: MINISTÉRIO DA DEFESA NACIONAL MARINHA AUTORIDADE MARÍTIMA NACIONAL DIRECÇÃO DE FARÓIS, CAPITANIA DO PORTO PONTA DELGADA FAROL PONTA DA GARÇA 1957, testifying to its inauguration date and its importance to the Navy.

Architecture and Panoramic View

The lighthouse features a 14-meter-high cylindrical tower, painted white, with eight radial false buttresses that give it a robust and elegant silhouette. At the top, a circular balcony with an iron guard, painted red, precedes the glazed dome, also red, topped by a weathervane. This combination of colors and shapes stands out distinctly against the green and blue landscape of the Atlantic. The complex also includes a rectangular support building, with a beige facade and stone details. From its observation point, the structure offers a remarkable panorama of São Miguel's coast, inviting moments of contemplation and photographic capture of natural beauty and engineering serving the sea.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt