Farol da Ponta do Topo

The General Lighting Plan approved in 1883 included the construction of a 4th‑order lighthouse at Ponta do Topo, with fixed light and flashes. However, the project was only designed in 1925 by engineer José Joaquim Peres. The required land was purchased in 1923, and the lighthouse was first lit on 15 July 1927, at the southeast tip of São Jorge Island.

The tower is 16 metres high, with an altitude of 58 metres. It was equipped with a rotating 3rd‑order Fresnel lens, using a gas eclipsor, with petroleum vapour incandescence as reserve. Electrified with generators in 1957, the lighthouse later suffered severe damage during the 1980 earthquake, requiring the replacement of its optic. A modern sealed‑optic system was installed in 1987. The lighthouse was connected to the public power grid in 1989 and fully automated in 2001 with the installation of a new optical system.