Nazaré Lighthouse, Navigation lighthouse on a clifftop fort in Nazaré, Portugal
Nazaré Lighthouse is a lighthouse set on a rocky clifftop promontory above the Atlantic coast in Nazaré, Portugal. The white cylindrical tower has a red lantern room at the top and sits right at the edge of the cape, overlooking the ocean below.
The lighthouse opened in 1903, taking over from earlier coastal markers that guided ships through these waters. It was built on the remains of an old military fort, and parts of that earlier structure are still visible around the base.
The lighthouse stands in the Sítio neighborhood, the old clifftop quarter where fishing families have lived for generations. On the surrounding paths, it is still common to see women dressed in the traditional layered skirts that Nazaré is known for.
The lighthouse can be reached from the beach below by cable car or by climbing the steep stairs up the cliff face. Once at the top, the area around the tower has open viewpoints that are easy to walk around without any specific entry requirement.
The Praia do Norte wave, which breaks just below the cape during winter, is shaped by a deep underwater canyon called the Nazaré Canyon, one of the largest in Europe. Several surfing world records have been set on that same stretch of water visible from the top.
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