Punta del Castillete Lighthouse facts for kids
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| Location | Puerto de Mogán Gran Canaria Canary Islands Spain |
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| Coordinates | 27°49′10″N 15°46′06″W / 27.819351°N 15.768459°W |
| Year first constructed | 1996 |
| Tower shape | square tower with external stairs |
| Markings / pattern | tower with blue and white bands |
| Height | 21 metres (69 ft) |
| Focal height | 114 metres (374 ft) |
| Range | 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 5s. |
| Spain number | ES-12607 |
The Punta del Castillete Lighthouse (also known as Faro de Punta del Castillete in Spanish) is a working lighthouse on the beautiful Canary island of Gran Canaria. Lighthouses are tall towers with bright lights that help ships find their way safely, especially at night or in bad weather.
This lighthouse stands high on cliffs above the fun resort and fishing port of Puerto de Mogán. It is located in the area called Mogán, on the south-western side of Gran Canaria. From here, it looks out over the huge Atlantic Ocean. It is placed between two other lighthouses: the Maspalomas Lighthouse to the south and the Punta Sardina Lighthouse to the north.
Contents
Building the Lighthouse
When Was It Built?
The Punta del Castillete Lighthouse was built over several years, from 1985 to 1995. It started helping ships in March 1996. This means it has been guiding boats for many years!
What Does It Look Like?
This lighthouse has a modern look. It has a square base made from dark volcanic rock, which is a type of stone from volcanoes. On top of this base is a concrete tower. You can see stairs on the outside of the tower that lead up to a special platform called a gallery.
When it was first built, the lighthouse was a sandy yellow color. But in 2014, it was painted blue and white. This makes it stand out against the sky and ocean.
How Does It Work?
The lighthouse does not use electricity from the main power grid. Instead, it gets its energy from six solar panels. These panels collect sunlight and charge a set of batteries. This is a great way to use clean energy!
The light itself comes from a 500 millimeter lantern. It uses a 150 watt halogen lamp to create a bright white light. This light is very powerful. It shines from 114 meters (about 374 feet) above sea level. This means its light can be seen from as far as 17 nautical miles away! That's about 31 kilometers or 19 miles.
Can You Visit the Lighthouse?
You can get close to the lighthouse by following a steep road from Puerto de Mogán. This road has many sharp turns, like hairpin turns. While you can explore the area around the lighthouse, the tower itself is closed to visitors.
Lights of Puerto de Mogán
The main lighthouse helps ships far out at sea. But the nearby harbor in Puerto de Mogán also has two smaller lights. These lights help boats safely enter and leave the port and marina.
Main Breakwater Light
On the long wall that protects the harbor, called the main breakwater, there is a light. This light is on a tower above the center of the El Faro restaurant. The tower is 6 meters (about 20 feet) tall and is painted white with red bands. The light on this tower flashes red.
Marina Entrance Light
On the other side of the harbor entrance, near a hotel, there is another small light. This light is on a beacon that is 2 meters (about 6.5 feet) high. This light flashes green. These two smaller lights work together to guide boats into the safe waters of the port.
See also
- List of lighthouses in Spain
- List of lighthouses in the Canary Islands
