Faro de Cabo Polonio, Lighthouse in Cabo Polonio, Rocha, Uruguay

Faro de Cabo Polonio is a lighthouse on Uruguay's Atlantic coast featuring a distinctive stone structure. The cylindrical tower displays white rings and a red-and-white striped dome, with viewing access from above that overlooks the rocky coastal landscape below.

The tower was built in response to dangerous conditions that caused many shipwrecks along this coast, with its light first shining in 1881. It later gained status as a national monument in 1976, marking its importance to Uruguay's maritime heritage.

The lighthouse's 12-second flash cycle inspired Jorge Drexler's 2006 album "12 segundos de oscuridad"; in the title song's first minute, five flashes sound at that interval. The first keeper was Pedro Grupillo. The tower rises beside the village that grew from seal-hunting and fishing workers after 1914.

The lighthouse can be visited Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 15:00 until sunset; it may close in bad weather or for maintenance. The climb to the top offers views of the village, the dunes and the Islas de Torres.

The tower produces regular light pulses that are visible across great distances and help ships pinpoint the exact coastal location during navigation. This precise flashing pattern remains a critical part of the navigational tools that modern captains still rely upon.