Faro Castillo del Morro
5J2V+34V, Havana, Cuba
Name and Location
Faro Castillo del Morro (Morro Castle Lighthouse) is located at 5J2V+34V, Havana, Cuba (Centro Habana municipality), with coordinates 23°09′01″ N, 82°21′26″ W. It sits atop the Morro promontory guarding the western entrance to Havana Bay.
Construction and History
The fortress origin of Castillo del Morro dates back to 1589-1630 when Spanish colonial authorities built the Castillo de los Tres Reyes Magos del Morro. The lighthouse was commissioned in 1845 to improve safety entering Havana's busy port. It has been continuously used since then, with electrification and automation occurring in the 20th century.
Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse is a 19th-century fortress-style tower integrated into bastion walls, built using brick and masonry matching the fortress's stonework. The exterior is painted in muted cream (#ded8cf). The tower stands 25 meters above base, with a focal plane at 45 meters above mean sea level.
Light and Navigation
The lighthouse emits a group-flashing white light (Fl(2) W 15 s), visible for 26 nautical miles. It is fully automated and serves as a primary navigational aid for vessels approaching Havana Harbor, linked into Cuba's coastal light-station network.
Accessibility and Visiting
Visitors can access the lighthouse through the Castillo del Morro entrance (ticketed fortress grounds). The tower interior is not open to the public, but visitors may walk the ramparts and view the tower exterior. A viewing platform offers panoramic views of Havana Bay, the city skyline, and Morro Rock lighthouse offshore.
Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding environment features a rocky promontory projecting into the Caribbean Sea, with wind-swept ramparts equipped with cannons overlooking the shipping channel. The nearby "Morro Rock" beacon lies just off the breakwater.
Anecdotes and Folklore
Local lore speaks of ghosts of Spanish soldiers who once defended the walls. In 1762, British forces besieged the fortress during the Seven Years' War – though the lighthouse did not yet exist, the site's strategic importance endured.
Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is managed by the Port Authority of Havana under Cuba's Ministry of Transportation. It remains an active aid to navigation and a popular viewpoint over Old Havana and the Caribbean Sea.
Further Information
- UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Old Havana and its Fortification System, NGA List of Lights, Publication 111 (2024) – Light J 4857, Wikidata Q5436069, English Wikipedia: "El Morro Lighthouse", and "Castillo del Morro: The Key to Havana," Journal of Caribbean Military Architecture, 2015.
Details
| Name | Faro Castillo del Morro |
|---|---|
| City | Havana |
| Country | Cuba |
| Coordinates | 23.150229, -82.3572024 |
| Year of construction | 1845 |
| Stories | Local lore speaks of ghosts of Spanish soldiers who once defended the walls |
| Architectural style | 19th-century fortress-style tower, integrated into bastion walls |
| Construction material | "Brick and masonry matching the fortress’s stonework" |
| Focal height | 45 |
| Tower height | 25 |
| Renovations | Electrified and automated in the 20th century |
| Access description | Through the Castillo del Morro entrance (ticketed fortress grounds) |
| Accessible | true |
| Landscape type | Rocky promontory projecting into the Caribbean Sea |
| Facilities | Small café and souvenir stands within fortress grounds |
| Opening hours | 9 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Nearby attractions | ["Castillo de la Real Fuerza (16th c. fortress, maritime museum)","Old Havana (Plaza de Armas, Catedral de La Habana)","Museo de la Prensa (press and journalism museum)","Malecón waterfront esplanade"] |
| Light characteristic | "Group-flashing white, Fl(2) W 15 s" |
| Light range | 26 |
| Automated | true |