Name and Location

Faro do Cabo Ortegal stands at one of the highest maritime promontories on Spain's Atlantic coast. It is located in the municipality of Cariño, province of A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.

Construction and History

Commissioned and first lit in 1984 by the General Directorate of Lighthouses, Spanish Ministry of Public Works. The lighthouse replaced an earlier small light at a lower elevation as part of a late-20th-century modernization of Galician aids to navigation. It has been fully automated since its inauguration.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is a functional modern, minimalist concrete tower set on an equipment building. Constructed with reinforced white-painted concrete, it stands approximately 6 meters tall from base to lantern.

Light and Navigation

The characteristic of the light is occulting white, with a group pattern of 6 + 2. The period is 8 seconds, and the range is 18 nautical miles. The reference is D1686.3 (Admiralty List of Lights). The color of the light is white.

Accessibility and Visiting

Access to the lighthouse is via a paved road that leads from Cariño, with a final approach on foot along a short service track. The compound and exterior are openly accessible, but the tower and lantern are closed to visitors. There are no on-site visitor facilities or restrooms, but parking for a few cars is available at the cape.

Notable Views and Landscape

Visitors can enjoy panoramic vistas of the Cantabrian Sea, the rugged "Ovoa" islets, and, on clear days, the coast of Asturias to the east. The surrounding landscape features granite-dominated landscapes with heathland, seabird colonies, and seasonal wildflowers.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local tradition holds that on stormy winter nights, the "spirits of wrecked sailors" can be heard moaning among the cliffs below the lighthouse. Although there are no verified sightings, this legend adds to the lighthouse's reputation as a treacherous point.

Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority is the Port Authority of Ferrol-San Cibrao. The lighthouse is fully automated and monitored remotely via coastal communications. There is no AIS/Radar installed on site, only standard visual light.

Further Information

For more information, refer to the Spanish-language Wikipedia page (es:Faro del Cabo Ortegal) or the Galician-language Wikipedia page (gl:Faro do cabo Ortegal). "Los Faros de Galicia" by José Fernández Rey (Ediciones Fervenza, 2005) is another valuable resource.