Adra Lighthouse facts for kids
| Location | Adra, Almería, Andulasia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°44′53″N 3°01′52″W / 36.74796°N 3.03098°W |
| Year first lit | 1986 |
| Height | 26 metres (85 ft) |
| Focal height | 49 metres (161 ft) |
| Range | 16 nautical miles (30 km; 18 mi) |
The Adra Lighthouse (called Faro de Adra in Spanish) is a working lighthouse. It stands near the town of Adra in Spain. This area is called Almería and is on the Mediterranean coast. It is part of the Andulasia region.
The lighthouse you see today was built in 1986. It is actually the third lighthouse to stand near Adra. The first one was washed away by the sea. The second one was too short. Its light got lost among the town's bright lights. So, a new, taller lighthouse was built.
Contents
History of the Adra Lighthouses
The idea for a lighthouse in Adra first came up in 1861. An engineer named Antonio Molina suggested building a special kind of light. But his ideas were not chosen.
The First Lighthouse (1883-1896)
Instead, a wooden tower was built. It was about 13 meters (43 feet) tall. This first lighthouse was located east of the town. It stood near where the River Adra used to meet the sea.
The lighthouse started working in 1883. However, the land around it began to wear away. This is called erosion. In 1896, a big storm hit. The storm was so strong that it destroyed the lighthouse.
The Second Lighthouse (1899)
After the first one was lost, a second lighthouse was built. This one was closer to the town. It was finished in 1899. This lighthouse looked like many others built in Spain during the 1800s.
It had a light room on top of a short tower. This tower was only about 6 meters (20 feet) tall. It was attached to the back of a small house for the lighthouse keeper.
Over time, the town of Adra grew bigger. A harbor was built in 1910. More buildings appeared, including a tall shot tower. This tower was 45 meters (148 feet) high. It became hard to tell the lighthouse's beam apart from all the other lights in the town.
The Current Lighthouse (1986-Today)
The lighthouse we see today was built in 1986. It stands on a small piece of land that sticks out into the sea. This spot is on the western side of Adra.
This modern lighthouse is a concrete tower. It is about 26 meters (85 feet) tall. It has two walkways around the top. The tower has bright red and white stripes. These stripes help ships see it clearly during the day. This is called a daymark.
The light itself is 49 meters (161 feet) above the sea. Its light can be seen from 16 nautical miles away. That's about 30 kilometers or 18 miles! The light flashes white three times. It does this every ten and a half seconds.
The Adra Lighthouse is important for guiding ships. It is managed by the Almería Port Authority.
See also
In Spanish: Faro de Adra para niños
