Lighthouse of Ponta Negra

Lighthouse of Ponta Negra
Farolim da Ponta Negra
Azores
Location Portugal Corvo, Vila do Corvo
Coordinates 39°40′11.74″N 31°6′52.73″W / 39.6699278°N 31.1146472°W / 39.6699278; -31.1146472Coordinates: 39°40′11.74″N 31°6′52.73″W / 39.6699278°N 31.1146472°W / 39.6699278; -31.1146472
Year first constructed 1910
Automated February 1987
Construction concrete tower
Tower shape hexagonal prism tower with balcony and beacon
Markings / pattern white tower
Height 3 metres (9.8 ft)
Focal height 22 metres (72 ft)
Light source mains power
Range 6 mi (9.7 km)
Characteristic Fl W 5s.
Fog signal No
Admiralty number D2712
NGA number 23280
ARLHS number 882[1]
Managing agent Direcção de Faróis (Directorate for Lighthouses)
Heritage Unclassified

The Lighthouse of Ponta Negra (Portuguese: Farolim da Ponta Negra) is a beacon/lighthouse located along the cliffs of promontory of Ponta Negra, in the municipality of Vila do Corvo, on the Portuguese island of Corvo, in the archipelago of the Azores.

History

An agrarian view of Ponta Negra, including windmills and the old metal tower and shed on the edge of Ponta Negra

The small lighthouse was constructed in November 1910, with a sixth order diotropic light, providing a fixed white light, that ranged to 10 miles (16 km), supported by acetylene gas.[2]

In 1955, construction began on a modernization of the light.[2] By May 1956, the new light was inaugurated, this time using a fourth-order diotropic light, in groups of double clarions, with a 15 miles (24 km) range.[2]

Its power source was changed in February 1987, to photovoltaic panels, and converted to a solar panel-battery reserve system by the first decade of the 21st century.[2]

Architecture

This light is located on the clifftop promontory of Ponta Negra, on the southern coast of Corvo (west of the port of Boqueirão) alongside the traditional windmills; it is at the edge of the Caminho dos Moinhos near the westernmost windmill of the group.[2]

Originally the illuminating tower was an ironwork structure 6 metres (20 ft) high, with small cabana-like metal annex, painted in red.[2] The modern building consists of a beacon mounted to a hexagonal tower, constructed of reinforced concrete.[2] The small tower is 3 metres (9.8 ft) high, and the current light is 23 metres (75 ft) above sea level, providing a range of sight to 6 miles (9.7 km), using a simple white beacon with five second interval.[2]

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Ponta Negra The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved March 18, 2016
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Costa, Patrícia; Gavinha, José A.; Ferreira, Teresa (2012), SIPA, ed., Farol da Ponta Negra (IPA.00015925/PT072001010001) (in Portuguese), Lisbon, Portugal: SIPA – Sistema de Informação para o Património Arquitectónico, retrieved 30 August 2015

Sources

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 8/2/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.