Penmarc'h Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in Penmarch, France
Description
The lighthouse is a stone structure in Penmarch featuring a square tower that transitions to an octagonal watch room with gallery and lantern, reaching a height of about 65 meters. The building combines functional tower design with decorative interior elements throughout.
History
The structure was completed in 1897 and funded by Adelaide-Louise Davout to honor her father, Marshal Davout, who held the title Prince of Eckmühl. The building represents the family's role in French maritime interests of that era.
Culture
The interior displays blue marble ceilings with bronze ribbing and opaline tiles that show the craftsmanship of 19th-century French maritime architecture. These decorative choices reveal how much care was invested in creating spaces of beauty and quality during that period.
Practical
Visitors climb 307 steps, including 227 stone steps and an iron staircase, to reach the observation platform at the top. The ascent offers expanding views as you go higher, with the platform providing a commanding perspective over the surrounding waters.
Did you know?
The Fresnel lens system allows the lighthouse beam to reach vessels up to 23 nautical miles away in dangerous coastal waters. This optical technology was a breakthrough that greatly improved navigation safety for ships passing this coastline.
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French lighthouses line approximately 3,400 miles (5,500 km) of coast, from the English Channel to the Mediterranean Sea. These maritime structures, built between the 17th and 20th centuries, occupy strategic locations on rocky promontories, islands, and sometimes in open sea. Constructed from...
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