Farol da Guia

The Guia Lighthouse, often considered one of the oldest on the Portuguese coast, has origins linked to early coastal beacons used before formal lighthouses existed. Although some authors claim it predates 1522, the structure was severely damaged in the 1755 earthquake and rebuilt under the 1758 royal decree. The construction contract was signed in 1759 with architect Eugénio dos Santos, and the lighthouse entered service in 1761 with a 28‑metre tower lit by an olive‑oil lamp. Repairs in 1865 introduced a fixed white light produced by sixteen Argand lamps. In 1879 a 3rd‑order lens replaced the reflectors, and the light later switched from gas to a two‑wick petroleum lamp in 1897. The lighthouse was extinguished during World War I, then electrified in 1955 and connected to the public grid in 1959. A red‑glass window was added for alignment with Santa Marta. In 1982 it was fully automated and remotely controlled by the Lighthouse Directorate.