Cacilhas Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in Cacilhas, Portugal
The Cacilhas Lighthouse is a cylindrical cast-iron tower 12 metres tall and 1.27 metres in diameter, painted red, with a lantern and a gallery railing at the top. It stands on the Cacilhas point on the south bank of the Tagus, a few metres from its original site, and is no longer active.
The tower began operating on December 31, 1885, using an oil-fueled light system with a fifth-order Fresnel lens. After years in the Azores, it later returned to Cacilhas where it is now part of a museum.
The lighthouse is now part of the Naval Museum of Almada. Its 2009 restoration and return from the Azores were followed by a ceremony on 18 July 2009. The repainting in red, its original colour, caused mild controversy because the tower had been green from 1935 to 1978.
Visitors can reach the lighthouse from Cacilhas ferry terminal, which operates regular services from Lisbon across the river. The waterfront location makes it easy to find and offers good views from several spots along the shore.
The tower was green from 1935 to 1978, then repainted red for its 2009 return to Cacilhas; the switch caused mild controversy. The red matches its original 1885 colour. The restored tower now belongs to the Naval Museum of Almada.
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