São Miguel-o-Anjo Lighthouse
São Miguel-o-Anjo Lighthouse, 16th-century lighthouse in Foz do Douro, Portugal
São Miguel-o-Anjo is a rectangular stone tower standing 8 meters tall at the mouth of the Douro River in Porto, housing a small chapel with an octagonal interior layout. The structure contains three river-facing niches that define the interior space.
The tower was built in 1527 under Bishop D. Miguel da Silva and served as both a lighthouse and place of worship for over 350 years. It was decommissioned in 1882 when its original purpose came to an end.
The chapel built into the tower features an octagonal interior that reveals the connection between religious and maritime purposes that defined this place. The carved inscription on the outer wall still speaks to how locals understood the site's role in their relationship with the river.
The structure sits within the Passeio Alegre garden and can be visited while walking around the Douro mouth area. The best time to explore is during daylight hours when the stone details and interior niches are clearly visible.
In the early 1700s, pilots navigating the Barra do Douro repurposed the building as a meeting hall for their gatherings and discussions. This shift reveals how the structure adapted to serve entirely different needs beyond its original role.
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