Phare de Isla de Farallón, Navigation lighthouse in Colonia del Sacramento area, Uruguay

The Faro de Isla de Farallón is a 24-metre cylindrical tower of fibreglass with a fibreglass dome, painted in four white and three red bands, rising from a white concrete and masonry base on Farallón Island in the Río de la Plata off Colonia. Its light, powered by solar panels, reaches 10.2 nautical miles with one flash every ten seconds.

The lighthouse was built as an essential navigation aid for vessel traffic on the Río de la Plata, improving safety in the waters between Uruguay and Argentina. Its construction marked a key moment in the region's maritime development.

The lighthouse's light was automated in 1928, the first in Uruguay to run from sunset to sunrise without a keeper; burnt-out mantles were swapped by a mechanism. Acetylene gas has since given way to solar panels. On 10 February 2004 the Uruguayan post office issued a 10-peso stamp (code 2004-04-S) showing the tower.

The lighthouse remains operational and can be viewed from the mainland near Colonia del Sacramento. The best views of the island and its structure come from the town's waterfront, where the lighthouse stands out clearly against the river.

The lighthouse was the first in Uruguay to run automatically, from sunset to sunrise, after authorisation was granted in 1928. A mechanism swapped burnt-out light mantles quickly; acetylene gas has since been replaced by solar panels giving a range of 10.2 nautical miles.