Capo Caccia Lighthouse

Lighthouse in Sardinia, Italy

Lighthouse

40°33′39″N 8°09′46″E / 40.560745°N 8.162662°E / 40.560745; 8.162662TowerConstructed1864Foundationmasonry baseConstructionmasonry towerAutomatedyesHeight24 metres (79 ft)Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern rising from one corner of the keeper’s houseMarkingswhite tower and keeper’s housePower sourcemains electricity

OperatorMarina MilitareFog signalnoLightFocal height186 metres (610 ft)LensType: OR S4
Focal length: 375 mmIntensitymain: AL 1000 W
LABI 100 WRangemain: 24 nautical miles (44 km; 28 mi)
reserve: 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)CharacteristicFI W 5s.Italy no.1418 E.F^[1]^[2]

Capo Caccia Lighthouse (Algherese Catalan: Far del Cap de Caça, Italian: Faro di Capo Caccia) is an active 19th century lighthouse situated at the extremity of Capo Caccia, 3.7 kilometres (2.3 mi) from Tramariglio a frazione of Alghero on the western coast of Sardinia.

Description

The lighthouse was built in 1864 on the top of the namesake promontory overlooking the sea, just above Neptune's Grotto connected by s staircase of 656 steps named Escala de Cabirol (Staircase of roe). The light station is a three-story white building protected by a Faraday cage to defend from the lightning strikes; above the keeper's house stands the tower 24 metres (79 ft) high, which was rebuilt in 1950s, bringing the focal height to 186 metres (610 ft) making it the highest lighthouse in Italy.

The lantern was supplied by various fuels, including acetylene up to 1880, and then by petroleum gas, until in 1961 the plant was electrified. The rotating optic which was built in Paris by Barbier, Benard, et Turenne in 1951, is equipped with a Fresnel lens, with four deflectors at 90° to each other with a focal distance of 375 millimetres. The lighthouse is active, fully automated, even if manned by the two keepers who also have the task of maintaining the other lighthouses along the western Sardinia coast. It is operated by Marina Militare identified by the code number 1418 E.F. ^[3]^[2]

References

^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Italy: Northern Sardinia (Sardegna)". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
^ ^a ^b "Capo Caccia". Marina Militare. Retrieved 3 May 2019.
^ Architecture of Italian lighthouses