Faro del Caballo, Lighthouse in Santoña, Spain.
Faro del Caballo stands at the edge of Mount Buciero and connects to land through roughly 763 steps carved down through limestone cliffs toward the Bay of Biscay. The structure sits on a rocky outcrop with expansive views of the sea and surrounding coastline.
The structure was built in 1863 by inmates from the local prison and operated until 1993, when modern navigation systems made it obsolete. Its entire existence was shaped by this connection to the El Dueso correctional facility.
The lighthouse represents the maritime heritage of Cantabria, where such structures guided ships through the northern Spanish coast across generations. This seafaring history remains visible in the building's design and its dramatic cliff setting.
The descent requires sturdy footwear and plenty of water, as the stairway drops roughly 150 meters in elevation with no breaks. There are no facilities or water sources along the way, so plan ahead with supplies and time.
Inmates from the El Dueso prison reconstructed the access stairs in 2013, maintaining a historical connection between the facility and this landmark. This maintenance work represents an unusual partnership that continues the original building tradition.
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