Punta de Arinaga Lighthouse facts for kids
| Location | Agüimes Gran Canaria Canary Islands Spain |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 27°51′51″N 15°23′05″W / 27.864080°N 15.384627°W |
| Year first constructed | 1897 (first) ? (second) |
| Year first lit | 1984 (current) |
| Deactivated | 1984 (second) |
| Construction | masonry tower (current) stone tower (first) concrete tower (second) |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with double balcony and lantern (current) cylindrical tower attached to one-storey keeper's house (first) cylindrical tower with balcony attached to one end keeper's house (second) |
| Markings / pattern | tower with red and white bands, white balcony, glass lantern dome (current) |
| Height | 14 metres (46 ft) (current) 6 metres (20 ft) (first) 9 metres (30 ft) (second) |
| Focal height | 47 metres (154 ft) (current) |
| Range | 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl (3) WR 10s. |
| Spain number | ES-12510 |
The Punta de Arinaga Lighthouse (which means Faro de Punta de Arinaga in Spanish) is an active lighthouse on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria. This island is part of the Canary Islands. The lighthouse helps guide ships safely along the coast.
The current lighthouse tower is the third one built in this spot. It stands on the rocky area called Punta Arinaga. This area is close to the town of Agüimes. Arinaga is on the southeast side of Gran Canaria. It marks the coastline between the Maspalomas Lighthouse to the south and the Punta de Melenara Lighthouse to the north.
History of the Lighthouse
The first lighthouse at Punta de Arinaga was finished in 1897. It was built as part of a plan to light up the seas around the Canary Islands. This first lighthouse looked like many other lighthouses from the 1800s in the Canary Islands.
It had a white building with one floor. Dark volcanic rock was used for some of its details. The light shone from a lantern room at the top of a six-meter-high stone tower. This tower was connected to the building and faced the Atlantic Ocean.
This first lighthouse worked until the 1960s. Then, a new, taller tower was built next to the original building. Pictures show that this second tower was later removed. This happened when the old building was fixed up.
The third and current lighthouse started working in 1984. It was also built nearby. This lighthouse is 14 meters tall and shaped like a cylinder. It has two balconies and a lantern at the top. The tower is mostly white with three red stripes.
The light from the lantern can be red or white, depending on the direction. It shines from 47 meters above sea level. The white light can be seen for 12 nautical miles (about 22 kilometers). The red light can be seen for nine nautical miles (about 17 kilometers). The light flashes three times every ten seconds.
This lighthouse does not use electricity from the main power grid. Instead, it gets its power from six solar panels. These panels charge a set of batteries. The lantern is 2.25 meters wide and has a 100-watt halogen lamp. This lamp creates the red and white light.
The lighthouse is managed by the Port authority of Las Palmas. It has an international number, D2812. It also has an NGA identifier, which is 113-24008.
Restoring the Old Lighthouse
The old lighthouse building was given to the local council of Agüimes. They decided to fix it up completely. The restoration finished in March 2011 with a special opening ceremony. The local mayor hosted the event.
People hoped the old building, which used to be the lighthouse keeper's home, would become a nice restaurant. The council spent about 750,000 euros on fixing it. For four years, the council tried to find someone to run a restaurant there. They advertised three times, but no one was interested until 2016.
The Restaurante Faro de Arinaga finally opened in August 2016. The restaurant has a special agreement to operate for fifteen years. It focuses on food from the Canary Islands and the Mediterranean region. The restaurant can seat 120 people inside the renovated building. It can also seat 80 people on its outdoor terrace.
See also
In Spanish: Faro de Punta de Arinaga para niños
- List of lighthouses in the Canary Islands
- List of lighthouses in Spain
