Lighthouses of Spain: Valencia and Murcia

This page includes lighthouses of Spain's eastern regions, including the provinces of Castellón, Valencia, Alicante, and Murcia Murcia is an autonomous region, while the remaining three provinces form another autonomous region called the Comunidad Valenciana. This coastline faces southeast on the Mediterranean, bordering Andalusia to the south and Catalonia to the north.

The word for a lighthouse is faro in Spanish, but its use is generally restricted to the larger coastal light stations. Smaller lighthouses are called balizas (beacons). The navigational lights in Spain are regulated at the national level by the Comisíon de Faros, but they are operated and maintained by regional port authorities; in this part of Spain there is one port authority in each province.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. ES numbers are from the Spanish national list of lights, Libro de Faros. Admiralty numbers are from volume E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Libro de Faros
A comprehensive illustrated listing of Spanish lighthouses, maintained by Agustín Solabre Suárez.
Online List of Lights - Eastern Spain
Photos posted by Alexander Trabas.
Phares d'Europe
Photos posted by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller.
Lighthouses in Spain
Fine aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Leuchttürme Spaniens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Lighthouses, Islands and Capes
This collection of photos by José Miralles Pol has some fine photos of lighthouses in this area.


Faro de Mazarrón, August 2005
Creative Commons photo by Paul Howes

Castellón Province Lighthouses

Note: Lighthouses in Castellón are operated and maintained by the Autoridad Portuaria de Castellón.
Baix Maestrat Lighthouses
* Benicarló Dique del Sur
Date unknown (1930s?). Active; focal plane about 12 m (39 ft); three red flashes every 9 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted red. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The NGA listing for this light underestimates its size and focal plane. Located at the end of the south breakwater of Benicarló. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E0239; NGA 5536.
* Peñíscola (Castillo del Papa Luna)
1898 (Francisco Pérez Alonso). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 15 s. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. 3rd order Fresnel lens in use. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is gray metallic. A photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup view from below the lighthouse, Wikimedia has a closeup photo, another good photo and a view from above are available, and there is a fine closeup. The lighthouse is hard to find in a Google satellite view of the castle. Papa Luna (Pope Luna) was Pedro Martínez de Luna, a powerful Catholic cardinal who ruled as antipope at Avignon, France, from 1394 to 1417, during the time when there were competing popes at Avignon and Rome. Excommunicated in 1417, he fled to this Aragonese castle, built on a walled promontory extending from the village of Peñíscola, where he lived until his death in 1423. The lighthouse stands just below the castle. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-067; Admiralty E0232; NGA 5520.
Peñíscola Light
Faro de Peñíscola, July 2007
anonymous Creative Commons photo

Plana Alta Lighthouses
* Cabo de Irta
1990 (Rita Lorite Becarra). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); four white flashes every 18 s. 28 m (92 ft) square cylindrical white concrete tower with double gallery, rising from a 1-story service building. Trabas has a good photo of this unusual lighthouse, another closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the beach about 3 km (2 mi) north of Alcossebre. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-030; ES-27140; Admiralty E0231.6; NGA 5518.
* Oropesa
1857 (rebuilt in 1891). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 13 m (43 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, centered on a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is gray metallic. A photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, José Miralles Pol also has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The second story was added to the house in 1891. The lighthouse is dwarfed today by high-rise beach resorts. Located on a promontory at Oropesa del Mar, about 20 km (13 mi) northeast of Castellón de la Plana. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-035; ES-27100; Admiralty E0230; NGA 5516.
Islas Columbretes (Monte Colibrí) (2)
1859. Active; focal plane 85 m (279 ft); four white flashes, in a 3+1 pattern, every 22 s. 20 m (66 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the center of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with ocher trim; lantern is gray metallic. A closeup of the light tower and a panoramic view of the island are available. A distant photo taken from the sea reveals that there is an octagonal light tower without lantern, about 6 m (20 ft) tall, in front of the lighthouse; this is an automated beacon, built in 1961, that serves as a backup in case the main light fails. Located about 50 km (30 mi) east of Cabo Oropesa, the Islas Columbretes are a group of four uninhabited, rocky islets with a total area of only 19 ha (47 acres). Ships have been crashing on these rocks since antiquity, but today they are a popular destination for scuba divers. The lighthouse was automated in 1975, but since 1987 the keeper's house has been a residence and office for park rangers stationed on the islands. In 2008 the building was restored and renovated by the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente (Department of the Environment); provision was made for a visitor center to be developed in the future. Located atop the largest islet, Columbrete Grande. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Parque Natural Islas Columbretes. ARLHS SPA-180; ES-26620; Admiralty E0222; NGA 5504.

Faro de Oropesa, August 2008
Creative Commons photo by Ana Ovando
* Castellón (4)
1971 (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white light occulting three times, in a 2+1 pattern, every 10 s. 28 m (92 ft) slender round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, centered on a round 1-story keeper's house. The lighthouse is currently painted white with blue trim, but as of 1995 it was painted with black and white horizontal bands, as seen in a distant photo by José Miralles Pol. Lantern painted blue. Trabas has a current photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the commercial quay in Castellón de la Plana. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-107; ES-26940; Admiralty E0226; NGA 5480.
* Castellón (3)
1917 (station established 1867). Inactive. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small 1-story masonry keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted. Angeles Mosquera's photo appears at right, another closeup is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The first Castellón lighthouse, a U-shaped keeper's house with lantern identical to the Burriana lighthouse, was located on the beach; it was replaced by a temporary light on the breakwater in 1910 and then by this lighthouse in 1917. Located on the commercial quay in Castellón de la Plana. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown.

Plana Baixa Lighthouses
* [Burriana (1)]
1867. Inactive since 1934. 1-story U-shaped masonry keeper's house; lantern removed. It is reported that this building is in use as a girls' school. A rainy-day photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of the Calle de la Farola in Burriana. Site open, building status unknown.
* Burriana Dique de Levante
1934 (?). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); two green flashes every 8 s. 8 m (26 ft) octagonal cylindrical masonry tower with gallery, painted green. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the outer (east) breakwater of Burriana. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E0219; NGA 5456.
* Burriana Dique de Poniente
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two red flashes every 8 s. The light is centered on the roof of a 1-story pierhouse restaurant. Trabas has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Burriana, a small port about 7 km (4.5 mi) south of Castellón de la Plana. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E0221; NGA 5464.

1917 Faro de Castellón, November 2005
Creative Commons photo by Angeles Mosquera
* Nules
1992 (Blanca Lleó). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white light occulting twice every 11 s. 36 m (118 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with an off-center lantern. The lighthouse is an unpainted light gray-brown color. Trabas has a photo, a closeup and a wider view are also available, and Google has a satellite view. An interesting structure, though not the most attractive of modern Spanish lighthouses. Located on the beach at Playa de Nules, about 16 km (10 mi) south of Castellón. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-134; ES-26540; Admiralty E0218; NGA 5454.

Valencia Province Lighthouses

Note: Lighthouses in Valencia are operated and maintained by the Autoridad Portuaria de Valencia.
Camp de Morvedre Lighthouse
* Cabo Canet
1904. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) unpainted round brick tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on an octagonal brick base. Lantern dome painted red. There are two 1-story keeper's cottages adjacent to the lighthouse. Trabas has a good photo, Wikimedia has a fine photo, José Miralles Pol has also posted a photo, a good closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is located at Nova Canet, about 1.5 km (1 mi) north of Sagunto and 30 km (19 mi) north of Valencia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-010; ES-26500; Admiralty E0216; NGA 5452.

Valencia City Lighthouses
* Cabañal (Cabanyal)
Date unknown (1850s or earlier). Inactive since 1918. Lights were shown from the towers of the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Angeles. A photo of the facade of the church is available, and Google has a satellite view. A light was shown from the north tower at least in the 1850s. In 1862 the church was upgraded to faro with a stronger light on the south tower. The light was downgraded to minor status in 1909, when the tall Dique del Norte lighthouse was built (see below), and it was extinguished in 1918. El Cabañal is the neighborhood of Valencia lying just north of the harbor. Located on the Camino del Cabañal at the Calle Pedro Maza, about 800 m (1/2 mi) from the beach. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-347.
* Valencia Nuevo Dique del Este
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); green flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery, rising from a square 1-story concrete equipment room. Upper half of the tower painted green, lower half white. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the modern outer breakwater of Valencia harbor. Site status unknown, but the photo suggests it's possible to walk this breakwater. ARLHS SPA-403; Admiralty E0200.4; NGA 5372.
* Valencia (Dique del Norte) (2)
1909 (relocated in 1930) (station established 1866). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); five white flashes, in a 4+1 pattern, every 20 s. 22 m (72 ft) round cast iron tower, concealed inside an octagonal masonry tower, with lantern and double gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted stone; the lantern and watch room are gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, Alberto Muñoz Cubel has a 2011 photo, José Miralles Pol has a panoramic view, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was originally a cast iron tower built on the Malecón del Norte. The pier was extended in the 1920s and renamed the Dique del Norte. The extension left the lighthouse far from the end of the pier, so it was relocated in 1930. Apparently the engineers found it to be in somewhat shaky condition, and it was decided to build a masonry shell around the cast iron. The lighthouse is located at the bend of the main breakwater of Valencia, on the north side of the harbor. The road on the breakwater may not be open to visitors' cars, but it appears the lighthouse is accessible by walking a short distance. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-138; ES-25700; Admiralty E0200; NGA 5368.

Ribeira Baixa Lighthouse
* Cabo Cullera
1858. Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 16 m (52 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, rising from the center of a circular 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is all glass including the dome. Paco Agüir's photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo, another good photo is available, Agusti Peruga has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the Calle Farola, on a promontory to the east of the town of Cullera, about 32 km (20 mi) south of Valencia. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-013; ES-25650; Admiralty E0198; NGA 5360.
Faro de Cullera
Faro de Cullera, December 2006
Creative Commons photo by Paco Agüir

Alicante Province Lighthouses

Note: Lighthouses in Alicante are operated and maintained by the Autoridad Portuaria de Alicante. The coast of the province is called the Costa Blanca.
Marina Alta (Cap de la Nau) Lighthouses
* Cabo de San Antonio (2)
1861 (station established 1855). Active; focal plane 175 m (574 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, attached to the front of a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with ocher trim; lantern is gray metallic. A photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Juergen Burkhardt has a photo, and a distant view is available, but this important lighthouse doesn't seem to get its share of attention. Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. Cabo de San Antonio is the northeastern shoulder of the broad Cabo de la Nao promontory; the lighthouse here is older and has a longer range (42 km or 26 mi) than the one on the point of the cape. The original light was established on a watchtower 250 m (820 ft) from the edge of the cliff; this was too far for the light to be seen from some angles. Located on the cape on the east side of Aduanas, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) east of Jávea. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be viewed from the end of the Camino del Faro. ARLHS SPA-021; ES-25300; Admiralty E0180; NGA 5312.
* Cabo de la Nao (Cap de la Nau)
1928 (Jefatura de Alicante). Active; focal plane 122 m (400 ft); white flash every 5 s. 20 m (66 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with ocher trim; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, another photo and a photo of the station are available, Wikimedia has a sunset photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has an excellent satellite view. Cabo de la Nao is very prominent cape, the nose of a ridge that continues underwater and reappears to the east as the Balearic Islands. Located on the tip of the cape, at the top of a steep cliff, in the town of Cabo de la Nao. Site and tower appear to be closed, although the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. ARLHS SPA-018; ES-25200; Admiralty E0176; NGA 5300.

Marina Baixa Lighthouses
* Mar y Montaña Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 11 m (36 ft); continuous white light. 6 m (20 ft) round concrete post light mounted on a 1-story square concrete equipment shelter. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a good photo. Located at the end of the breakwater at a small boat harbor in Mascarat, about 3 km (2 mi) northeast of Altea. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, and it appears that visitors can climb atop the equipment shelter using an external stairway. Admiralty E0174.8.

Faro de Cabo San Antonio, August 2005
Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Echiner
Albir (Punta del Albir, Punta Bombarda)
1863 (Antonio Molina). Active; focal plane 112 m (367 ft); three long (1.5 s) white flashes every 27 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Building painted white with ocher trim; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a hiker's view is available, Francisco Senderos has a view of the spectacular situation of the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Between Benidorm and Albir, the Costa Blanca is interrupted by a steep-sided mountain, the Sierra Helada. The lighthouse stands on the eastern tip of this massif with a sweeping view of the Mediterranean. Accessible by a hiking trail (2 hr round trip) from Albir; a hiker has posted an album of photos taken on this trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-221; ES-24900; Admiralty E0173.6; NGA 4724.
Islote de Benidorm (1)
Date unknown. Inactive. 4 m (13 ft) round conical tower with gallery and enclosed equipment room. This tower is still listed by NGA, but in Solabre's photo it appears the light (focal plane 61 m (200 ft); white flash every 3 s) has been moved to a modern concrete or fiberglass tower about 6 m (20 ft) high. Trabas has a very distant view of this remote site. Located on a small island about 5 km (3 mi) due south of the beach at Benidorm. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SPA-165; ES-24800; Admiralty E0172; NGA 4716.

Alicantí (Alicante City) Lighthouses
* Las Huertas (Cabo Huertas, Cabo de la Huerta) (2)
1980 (station established 1856). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); five white flashes every 19 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and two galleries, painted white. Trabas has a photo, another good photo is available, a photo of the cape and lighthouse is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a keeper's house with a lantern centered on the roof. The lighthouse is located in a city park called Lomas del Faro. Located on the point of Cabo de la Huerta in Albufereta, about 7 km (4.5 mi) east of the Alicante waterfront. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-016; ES-24700; Admiralty E0166; NGA 4704.
* Alicante Outer Breakwater (relocated) (2)
1912 (station established 1855). Inactive since about 2005. 9 m (30 ft) triangular pyramidal skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a square concrete base. Lantern, gallery, and the upper half of the tower painted green, lower half white. Paco Cameo's photo is at right. Formerly located at the end of the Alicante Breakwater, which extends southwestward about 1.5 km (1 mi) to protect the harbor, it has been deactivated and relocated (in 2006?) to the waterfront. The lighthouse was also relocated in 1934 when the breakwater was extended. Paco Cameo's photo is at right, Trabas has an excellent photo of the lighthouse when it was still on the breakwater, and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Located on the Avenida de Oscar Esplá. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SPA-096; ES-24520; Admiralty E0158; NGA 4680.

Baix Vinalopó Lighthouses
* Santa Pola
1858. Active; focal plane 152 m (499 ft); three white flashes, in a 1+2 pattern, every 20 s. 15 m (49 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is gray metallic. Trabas has an excellent photo, Susie Solo has another good closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is built atop a spectacular cliff, which is famous among paleontologists for its exposure of Miocene fossils. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) east of the town of Santa Pola. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-046; ES-24400; Admiralty E0152; NGA 4664.
* Isla de Tabarca (Isla Plana) (1)
1854 (Agustín Elcoro y Berocíbar). Reactivated (inactive 1971-?); focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white light occulting twice every 10 s. 14 m (56 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. The light tower is unpainted gray stone; the keeper's house is white with unpainted stone trim. Wikimedia has a collection of photos, 2007 photo is available, Solabre has a photo, Alberto Hernández Rabal has also posted a photo (1/3 the way down the page), and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse was taken out of service in 1971 and replaced by a cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Recent photos show that tower has disappeared and a lantern has been mounted once again on the historic lighthouse; we need details concerning this restoration. The lighthouse now serves as the headquarters and laboratory of a marine reserve. The Isla de Tabarca, also called Isla Plana (Flat Island), is a small island about 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Santa Pola. Transportation to the island is available in Santa Pola. Located at the eastern end of the island. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: Reserva Marina de Tabarca. ARLHS SPA-136; ES-24270; Admiralty E0148; NGA 4652.

Faro de Alicante, March 2007
Creative Commons photo by Paco Cameo

Baix Segura Lighthouses
* Torrevieja Dique de Levante (East Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green flash every 3 s. 10 m (33 ft) unpainted octagonal stone tower. Trabas has a closeup photo, P. Barrantes has a sunset photo, a view from the harbor is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the east breakwater of Torrevieja. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-299; Admiralty E0146; NGA 4640.
* Torrevieja Muelle de la Sal (West Breakwater)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); three red flashes every 11.5 s. 6.5 m (21 ft) octagonal concrete tower. Upper half painted red, lower half white. Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of Torrevieja. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E0146.2; NGA 4644.

Murcia Region Lighthouses

Note: Lighthouses in Murcia are operated and maintained by the Autoridad Portuaria de Cartagena.
Mar Menor Lighthouse
* El Estacio (2)
1976 (station established 1862). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); four white flashes every 20 s. 29 m (95 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. The original (1862) keeper's house survives. Trabas has a good photo, Wikimedia has a fine photo, Antonio Alba also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was a 15 m (49 ft) octagonal masonry tower designed by Carlos Mondéjar. North of Cabo de Palos a sandy barrier beach surrounds the Mar Menor, a lagoon about 20 km (13 mi) long. The lighthouse is located midway along this barrier at the Punta del Estacio, on the north side of an inlet that gives access to the Mar Menor. The site is accessible by road from Cabo de Palos. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-088; ES-23950; Admiralty E0140; NGA 4624.

Campo de Cartagena Lighthouses
Las Hormigas (Hormiga Grande)
1862 (Carlos Mondéjar). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); three white flashes every 14 s. 12 m (39 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, centered on the roof of a circular masonry keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. A photo is available, Trabas has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Spanish sailors often refer to a group of small rocks as hormigas (ants). Located on a small rocky islet about 4 km (2.5 mi) northeast of Cabo de Palos; easily visible from the Faro de Palos. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SPA-140; ES-23850; Admiralty E0138; NGA 4616.
* Cabo de Palos
1865 (Carlos Mondéjar). Active; focal plane 81 m (266 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 51 m (167 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted gray stone. Fog siren (Morse code "P": short, two longs, and a short, every 40 s. A photo is at right, Trabas also has a good photo, another photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. This great lighthouse resembles the Chipiona lighthouse at Seville and the Punta Carnero lighthouse at Algeciras; like those lighthouses, it is probably the work of the engineer Jaime Font. The Cabo de Palos is the central cape of the three great capes of southeastern Spain, the others being Cabo de Gata in Almería and Cabo de la Nao in Alicante. Located on the point of the cape, a narrow peninsula extending about 1.5 km (1 mi) eastward into the Mediterranean at the town of Cabo de Palos. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-019; ES-23800; Admiralty E0136; NGA 4600.
Faro de Palos
Faro de Palos, October 2010
anonymous Wikimedia public domain photo
* Portman (Punta de la Chapa)
1865 (Leonardo Tejada). Active; focal plane 49 m (161 ft); white light, 2.5 s on, 1 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a good photo, Juan Ramón Martínez Inglés also has a fine photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promontory about 3 km (2 mi) southeast of Portman and 10 km (6 mi) east of Cartagena. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-211; ES-23680; Admiralty E0134; NGA 4596.
Escombreras (Islote de Escombreras)
1864 (Antonio Molina). Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); white flash every 5 s. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a photo, a 2011 photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard closeup, and Google has a satellite view. The Islote de Escombreras is a small, steep-sided island off the eastern entrance to the bay of Cartagena. The island helps shelter the industrial harbor of Escombreras. A new breakwater hooks around the north side of the island, but does not connect to it. Located on the peak of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SPA-167; ES-23190; Admiralty E0126; NGA 4564.
* Cartagena Dique de la Curra
1892. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); three green flashes every 14 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and castellated gallery. The lantern and upper third of the tower are painted green, the rest of the tower white. Trabas has a closeup, another good photo is available, Wikimedia has a nice view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. This light stands at the end of the Dique de la Curra, the main breakwater, which projects from the east side of Cartagena harbor. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-087; ES-23470; Admiralty E0130; NGA 4592.
* Navidad (Cartagena Dique de la Navidad) (2)
1892 (station established 1875). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 11 m (36 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The lantern and upper third of the tower are painted red, the rest of the tower white with red trim. Manuel Martín's photo is at right, Trabas has a fine closeup, another closeup photo is available, a photo taken from the heights above the harbor entrance shows the situation of the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This handsome little lighthouse is a familiar sight of Cartagena harbor. It stands at the end of the Dique de la Navidad, a breakwater mole projecting from the west side of the harbor entrance. A shipwreck museum, the Museo Nacional de Arqueología Subacuática, is at the base of the breakwater. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-103; ES-23450; Admiralty E0128; NGA 4588.
* Cabo Tiñoso
1859 (extensively rebuilt in 1970). Active; focal plane 146 m (479 ft); four white flashes, in a 1+3 pattern, every 20 s. 10 m (30 ft) robust round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a closeup, another good photo is available (about 2/3 the way down the page), and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The original lantern was removed and the tower was rebuilt in 1970, altering its historic appearance. The lighthouse has a range of 24 nautical miles (44.5 km, 27.5 mi), standing atop spectacular cliffs on a rugged promontory southwest of Cartagena. The surrounding waters are a marine reserve, the Cabo Tiñoso-La Azohía Reserva Marina. Located about 15 km (9 mi) west southwest of Cartagena, but at least three or four times that far by circuitous mountain roads. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-048; ES-23070; Admiralty E0124; NGA 4548.
Faro de la Navidad
Faro de la Navidad, August 2010
Creative Commons photo by Hardy Corbeck

Bajo Guadalentín Lighthouse
* Mazarrón (2)
1974 (Carlos Mondéjar) (station established 1862). Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); white light occulting three times, in a 1+2 pattern, every 13.5 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white. The lighthouse is adjacent to a 1-story equipment building, also painted white. A photo appears at the top of this page, Trabas also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Accessible by a short walk (the lighthouse drive is closed to cars). Located on a steep headland south of the harbor of Mazarrón. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-084; ES-23000; Admiralty E0120; NGA 4536.

Alto Guadalentín Lighthouse
* Águilas (Punta Negra) (2)
1973 (station established 1860). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 23 m (75 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with black and white horizontal bands. The lighthouse is adjacent to a 2-story square crew or administration building. Ricardo Codorniu has an excellent photo, Trabas also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original keeper's house survives, barely, only a few feet from the sea. Huelse has a historic postcard view of the station in its original form. Located on Punta Negra, at the west entrance to the harbor of Águilas. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SPA-246; ES-22900; Admiralty E0114; NGA 4524.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Catalonia | East: Balearic Islands | West: Eastern Andalusia

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Posted February 20, 2006. Checked and revised July 17, 2011. Lighthouses: 37. Site copyright 2011 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.