Goulphar lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in Bangor, France
Goulphar lighthouse is a stone tower rising approximately 52 meters above Belle-Île-en-Mer with a cylindrical shape topped by a lantern and viewing balcony. The structure guides maritime traffic through these waters using its rotating light signal.
Built from 1826 to 1835 on the ruins of the first Fortin Fouquet to plans by Augustin Fresnel, the lighthouse was commissioned in January 1836. It was inscribed as a Monument Historique on 12 June 1995 together with its plot, buildings and foghorn, then classified on 23 May 2011 with twelve other Breton lighthouses.
The tower is also called Grand Phare de Kervilahouen, after the hamlet of Kervilahouen in Bangor. Its foghorn, a small building erected in 1882 near the Anse de Goulphar, stood 1,200 metres from the tower and was fed compressed air through a pipe to the engine room. The lighthouse and its foghorn were listed as monuments historiques on 12 June 1995.
Access to the tower is available during daylight hours and visitors can climb the internal staircase to reach the viewing platform with views across the island and sea. Weather conditions affect visibility and safety on the platform, so sturdy footwear and weather-appropriate clothing are advisable.
The light beam can be seen from approximately 27 nautical miles away at sea under clear conditions, making the tower visible from distant maritime positions. This capability demonstrates how advanced light technology was in the 19th century for guiding ships.
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