Lighthouses are not only pretty to look at and make perfect photo objects, they also serve as important navigation signs, especially at night, warning of shallows and can be used to determine the location. Thanks to their lights, they can be used as a bearing marker for shipping traffic.
There are shallows off the western tip of Madeira off Ponta do Pargo. A plateau, which is only 70-90 metres deep in places, extends about 3nm out to sea. Explorers once travelled in this dangerous coastal region. They caught pargo (sea bream) in this sea region and this is where the place got its name.
Such an island tip naturally needs a lighthouse to guide the sailors. The beautiful, fourteen metre high lighthouse in Ponta do Pargo stands at an altitude of 290 metres. It is the highest signal light in Portugal. It was put into operation on 5 June 1922. Almost 28 miles away, its light is visible at night and provides guidance for seafarers. In 1999, it was declared a cultural heritage of local value by the regional government. There is also a small lighthouse museum.
By Fatima Kutzschbach