Punta de Teno Lighthouse

Punta de Teno Lighthouse
Map
LocationBuenavista del Norte
Tenerife
Canary Islands
Spain
Coordinates28°20′32″N 16°55′22″W / 28.342096°N 16.922865°W / 28.342096; -16.922865
Tower
Constructed1897 (first)
Constructionconcrete tower (current)
stone tower (first)
Height20 metres (66 ft) (current)
8 metres (26 ft) (first)
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingstower with red and white bands (current)
unpainted tower (first)
Power sourcesolar power Edit this on Wikidata
OperatorAutoridad Portuaria de Santa Cruz de Tenerife[1]
Light
First lit1976 (current)
Focal height60 metres (200 ft)
Range18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)
CharacteristicFl (2+1) W 20s.
Spain no.ES-12920

The Punta de Teno Lighthouse (Spanish: Faro de Punta de Teno) is an active lighthouse in the municipality of Buenavista del Norte on the Canary Island of Tenerife. The current lighthouse was the second to be constructed on the narrow rocky headland of Punta de Teno, which is the most westerly point on the island. It is one of seven lighthouses which mark the coastline of Tenerife, and lies between the Punta Rasca Lighthouse to the southeast, and the modern lighthouse of Buenavista to the northeast.[1]

History

The 19th and 20th century towers of Punta de Teno
The 19th and 20th century towers of Punta de Teno

The first lighthouse was completed in 1897, as part of the first maritime lighting plan for the Canaries.[2] Built in a similar style to other Canarian 19th century lights, it consists of a white washed single storey building, with dark volcanic rock used for the masonry detailing. The light was shown from a lantern room at the top of an eight-metre high masonry tower, attached to the seaward side of the house, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It remained in service until it was replaced in the 1970s by the new modern tower.[1]

Punta de Teno – Detail of the tower

The new lighthouse, which was built adjacent to the original building first entered service in 1978. It consists of a 20 m high cylinder-shaped tower, which is white with red bands, that supports twin galleries and a lantern with a white cupola. The design is similar to the new tower of Fuencaliente Lighthouse on La Palma.[1]

With a focal height of 60 m above sea level, the light can be seen for 18 nautical miles. Its light characteristic is made up of a pattern of three flashes of white light every twenty seconds.[1][3]

The lighthouse is maintained by the Port authority of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is registered under the international Admiralty number D2832 and has the NGA identifier of 113-23840.[1][3]

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Map showing the principal lighthouses of Tenerife

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Spain: Canary Islands". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. ^ "Los faros que alumbran et Atlantico" (in Spanish). teldeactualidad.com. Archived from the original on 8 August 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  3. ^ a b List of Lights, Pub. 113: The West Coasts of Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Azovskoye More (Sea of Azov) (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2014. p. 417.
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