Faro de Portocolom

Viewpoint | Felanitx

It was designed by Emili Pou and inaugurated on 31-12-1863. This signal is a consequence of one of the proposals that Emili Pou made to build a series of lighthouses not contemplated in the General Plan of 1847. It was inaugurated with a fixed optic for a 6th order lighthouse and an oil moderator lamp. In 1917 some screens with clockwork mechanism were added to produce an appearance of occultations, 3+4 every 20 seconds, with acetylene gas light. In 1965 electric lighting was introduced, with an appearance of 2 white flashes every 10 seconds, produced by a catadioptric optic from the Tramuntana Lighthouse. In 1996, the signal was solarized and the rotating optic was changed once again for another horizon diopter optic. The original tower was raised twice, once in 1918 increasing its height by 6 meters and changing the lantern; and again in 1965 with the electrification of the lighthouse and raised by 10 meters more. Many shipwrecks occurred in the surroundings of this lighthouse, as for example the llauds of July 20, 1874 and July 12, 1875. In 1882 the lighthouse keepers intervened in the rescue of a ship of the company Miguel Estela and in the salvage of all its crew. This ship was carrying a cargo of liquor and other merchandise. Whenever a situation of danger for a ship occurred near the lighthouse, the lighthouse keepers placed a white flag and sounded a conch shell or "sea horn" to warn the carabineros of the port. In 1925 the upper floor was added, giving the building two floors, thus acquiring the appearance we can see today. On November 6, 1937 the lighthouse was occupied by a German military detachment. In April 2010, the revolving optics removed in 1996 were recovered and put back into service in order to achieve better performance in its luminous range.