Fontes Pereira de Melo Lighthouse

Farol de Fontes Pereira de Melo (also: farol da ponta de Tumbo) is a lighthouse at the northeastern point of the island of Santo Antão in northwestern Cape Verde. It is situated on the headland Ponta de Tumbo, 2 km east of Janela, 6 km southeast of Pombas and 15 km northeast of Porto Novo. The lighthouse was named after Fontes Pereira de Melo, prime minister of Portugal for several times between 1871 and 1886. It is a white octagonal masonry tower, 16 meters high.[2] Its focal height is 162 meters above sea level, and its range is 17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi).[1] The adjacent building for the lighthouse keeper is abandoned and in poor condition.[2]

Farol de Fontes Pereira de Melo
Ponta de Tumbo
The lighthouse shown on the left of the picture
Map
LocationJanela
Santo Antão
Cape Verde
Coordinates17°6′51.7″N 24°58′12.8″W / 17.114361°N 24.970222°W / 17.114361; -24.970222
Tower
Constructed1886
Constructionmasonry tower
Height16 metres (52 ft)[1]
Shapeoctagonal tower with balcony and gallery
Markingswhite tower and lantern
Light
First lit1886 Edit this on Wikidata
Deactivated2006
Focal height162 metres (531 ft)[1]
Range17 nautical miles (31 km; 20 mi)[1]
CharacteristicFl (4) W 20s.[1]
Cape Verde no.2008[2]

Demolition

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October 2017 photos on Google Maps show the lighthouse is no longer there, with only underground parts of the interior and the stairwell still visible[1].

Rebuilt

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Lighthouse on Ponta de Tumba, February 2019

We were there in February 2019. A beautiful (new?) lighthouse is there. It is also visible on Google maps now.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e List of Lights, Pub. 113: The West Coasts of Europe and Africa, the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and Azovskoye More (Sea of Azov) (PDF). List of Lights. United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. 2018. p. 425.
  2. ^ a b c Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Cape Verde". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
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