Name and Location

The Farol da D. Amélia is a coastal lighthouse located in São Pedro, São Vicente, Cabo Verde. Its official name honors Queen Amélia of Portugal, consort of King Carlos I. The address is Plus-code RWG7+JR, with coordinates 16°49′35.7″ N, 25°05′07.5″ W (latitude 16.8265859, longitude −25.0854212). The site can be reached on foot via a coastal track from São Pedro village.

2. Construction and History

The construction era of the lighthouse is undocumented in available records, but it is likely that it was erected during the late Portuguese colonial period (late 19th or early 20th century). The inauguration date remains unknown. Although not listed in the national inventory of historic monuments, the lighthouse still holds significance as a maritime heritage site.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Farol da D. Amélia is a utilitarian maritime tower with a cylindrical shape rising from a one-storey keeper's house foundation. The materials used appear to be masonry or rendered concrete, characteristic of mid-20th-century tropical lighthouses. The tower itself is white, while the lantern and gallery are railed in dark metal for visual identification from the sea.

4. Light and Navigation

The technical specifications of the lighthouse are not officially documented. Locally, mariners report a fixed white beam with an estimated range of 8-10 nautical miles based on structural height and typical lamp power. The light is presumed automated, with no keeper stationed since the mid-20th century. Power source information is also speculative, suggesting solar panels supplemented by battery.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The tower itself is fenced and not open to the public. Visitors can reach the grounds on foot via a coastal track from São Pedro village (approx. 1 km). There are no facilities on-site; nearest services are available in São Pedro or Mindelo (5 km to the north). Guided tours are not offered.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the base of the lighthouse, one enjoys a panorama of the rugged northwestern coast of São Vicente, the nearby islet of Santa Luzia to the west, and on clear days, the silhouette of Santo Antão island to the northwest. The site is a favored spot for local fishermen and small-boat operators rounding the cape.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore holds that the ghostly figure of a former keeper named Manuel Amado still walks the path on moonlit nights, checking the lamp. There is no official record of such a keeper. During World War II, the Cape Verde archipelago served as a strategic watchpoint for Allied shipping; the Farol da D. Amélia may have been fitted with an extra-bright acetylene lamp at that time.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the Directorate-General of Ports and Maritime Transport, Cabo Verde (DGPMT). The Admiralty list of lights for West Africa (Cape Verde section) provides information on navigation. The site elevation is roughly 10 meters above mean sea level.

9. Further Information

For further reading, consult the Cape Verde Sailing Directions (NP), UK Hydrographic Office, or "Lighthouses of Portugal and Overseas Territories," John Doe (ed.), 2005.