Santa Marta Lighthouse, Maritime navigational beacon in Cascais, Portugal.
Açoreira is a small administrative division and coastal settlement on the Atlantic coast of Portugal, near Cascais. Above the bay stands the Santa Marta Lighthouse, a white stone tower decorated with blue horizontal stripes and painted tiles.
The Santa Marta Lighthouse was built in 1868 on the remains of a 17th-century military fortification. Over the following century it was gradually electrified and later fully automated, ending the era of resident keepers.
The name Açoreira refers to a small coastal settlement where the sea has always shaped daily life, from fishing to navigation. Visitors can notice this connection in the simple streets, the smell of salt in the air, and the view of the lighthouse standing above the water.
The site is easy to reach on foot from the center of Cascais, and the coastal path along the way gives good views of the bay. The museum and terrace are open during the day, and clear weather makes the visit especially worthwhile.
The optical system inside the tower dates from the early 1900s and was designed to concentrate light beams so they could be seen far out at sea. The museum also displays a large lens from another Portuguese lighthouse, showing how different the navigation equipment was from one station to another.
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