Punta Nati Lighthouse facts for kids

The Punta Nati Lighthouse is an important lighthouse on the rocky northwest coast of Menorca, a Spanish island. It helps ships find their way safely.

This lighthouse was built because many ships had crashed in the area. A big reason was the sinking of a French ship called the Général Chanzy in 1910. Many people sadly lost their lives in that accident.

To prevent more disasters, the lighthouse was quickly built. It was designed by an engineer named Mauro Serret. Construction took just over a year, and the lighthouse started working in 1913. It was fully finished in 1914. Even though another lighthouse, Cavalleria Lighthouse, was already nearby, more lights were needed to make the coast safer.

Why Was Punta Nati Lighthouse Built?

The main reason for building the Punta Nati Lighthouse was the terrible shipwreck of the Général Chanzy. This steamship was named after a famous French general, Antoine Chanzy. It sailed a regular route from Marseille, France, to Algiers.

On February 9, 1910, the ship left Marseille. It got caught in a very bad storm while sailing near Menorca. The ship hit rocks and broke apart. Its boilers exploded, making the disaster even worse.

The Only Survivor: Marcel Bodez

Only one person survived the shipwreck: Marcel Bodez. He was a French customs clerk. He jumped into the stormy sea wearing a lifejacket when the ship hit the rocks. He saw the ship break apart and sink.

Marcel was washed against the bottom of a steep cliff. He found a cave to hide in as pieces of the ship floated ashore. The next day, the storm calmed down. He was able to climb the high cliffs and walk inland. He eventually found a local islander. They couldn't understand each other's language, so Marcel used drawings to explain what had happened. He was then taken to the nearby town of Ciutadella to get better. A rescue effort began to find the many bodies that had washed ashore.

Remembering the Général Chanzy Shipwreck

There are several memorials to remember the people who died on the Général Chanzy.

A memorial stone cross near the lighthouse

• Simple Cross: One memorial is a simple stone cross on top of a pile of rocks. It is located not far from the lighthouse itself.

• Ciutadella Cemetery Memorial: Another, more detailed memorial is in the old cemetery in Ciutadella. It was finished in 1911. This memorial has a large statue of an angel and a stone plaque showing the ship. People from Menorca and the shipping company helped pay for it. In 1917, the remains of twelve people who couldn't be identified were buried there.

• Chateau Danem Memorial: A third memorial was built at Chateau Danem. It was designed by an architect named Georges Wybo. This memorial remembers several French cabaret artists who were on the ship and lost their lives.

How the Lighthouse Works

The Punta Nati Lighthouse has a stone tower that is 19-metre-high (62 ft). On each side of the tower are houses where the lighthouse keepers used to live. The whole area is surrounded by a wall.

The light is 42 metres (138 ft) (about 138 feet) above sea level. It flashes white light in a special pattern: three quick flashes, then one more, every 20 seconds. This light can be seen from up to 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) (about 33 kilometers) away.

The lighthouse helps guide ships through the Menorca Channel. This is a narrow strait between the islands of Majorca and Menorca. The northern coast of Menorca is very rocky, and many ships have crashed there over the years. Even after the Cavalleria Lighthouse was built in 1857, shipwrecks continued. Besides the Général Chanzy, other ships like the Ville de Rome (1898) and the Isaac Pereire (1906) also sank in this area.

The Port Authority of the Balearic Islands manages and takes care of the lighthouse. It has special international numbers to identify it for sailors.

Visiting the Lighthouse Area

The Camí de Cavalls is a long walking path that goes all the way around Menorca. This path passes close to the lighthouse along the coast. The lighthouse marks the end of one part of the path from Ciutadella and the start of the next part to Cala Morell.

There is a car park near where the path crosses the road to the lighthouse. Visitors can walk about 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from there to the lighthouse. However, the lighthouse tower and its buildings are not open to the public.

Next to the lighthouse, looking out over the sea, you can see some old defensive bunkers. These were built during the Spanish Civil War. They were made to look like traditional sheep shelters, called barracas.

Images for kids

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  Général Chanzy Memorial in the old Ciutadella cemetery

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  View of the bunkers and lighthouse

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  Rear elevation view

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  Narrow road to the lighthouse

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  Cliffs at the lighthouse

See also

In Spanish: Faro de Punta Nati para niños

• List of lighthouses in Spain
• List of lighthouses in the Balearic Islands