Farol do Cabo Espichel

The Cabo Espichel Lighthouse, one of the oldest on the Portuguese coast, was built in 1790. Before its construction, a bonfire likely served as a beacon for sailors. Legend says the Virgin Mary appeared in 1410 to calm a storm and light the ocean. A chapel was built in 1428, followed by pilgrimages and a small beacon. By 1866, the lighthouse used 17 Argand lamps with oil and parabolic reflectors. It later received a 1st order catoptric system with four white flashes. Electrified in 1926 with petroleum generators, it was upgraded in 1947 with a 4th order rotating dioptric-catadioptric lens (300 mm focal length), reaching 42 nautical miles with a 2400W lamp. In 1980, it connected to the public grid with a 1000W lamp and was automated in 1989.