Faro del Cap Salines

Viewpoint | Santanyí

It was designed by Emili Pou. It was originally a 6th order lighthouse. The land was owned by the Marquis of Palmer who ceded to the State the compensation corresponding to its expropriation. At the beginning it had a catadioptric optic of 300 mm of diameter for fixed light, of the French manufacturer Henry Lepaute. It was inaugurated on August 31, 1863. At the beginning there were two sailors assigned to the lighthouse for its supply service. In 1917 carbide illumination and a 4+1 occultation appearance produced by clockwork rotating screens placed around the optics began. Later a dioptric drum optic was installed and in 1957 the luminous appearance of the lighthouse was modified at the same time that the installation was electrified. 32 V flashers were installed, producing a luminous appearance of 2+1 flashes every 10 seconds. That same year an equipment with wind turbine was put in service, first in Spain of this type, but it was not successful mainly due to the absence of wind with the required constancy, which motivated its substitution by two generators. In 1958 the tower was extended by 6.5 m. to increase the geographical range. In 1983 the photovoltaic system was incorporated, being the first lighthouse in Spain to be illuminated by solar panels.