Faro del Tostón
PX8P+5F Los Lagos, Spain
Name and Location
The Faro del Tostón (Tostón Lighthouse) is a minor lighthouse located on the western coast of Fuerteventura, in the municipality of La Oliva, Canary Islands, Spain. The address is PX8P+5F Los Lagos, La Oliva, 35650 Fuerteventura, Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain.
2. Construction and History
The original lighthouse was built in 1897, while the current active light tower was commissioned at an unknown date (possibly in the 1970s or 1980s). The original keeper's station and tower were square-plan masonry attached to a single-storey keeper's house.
3. Architecture and Materials
The original lighthouse was constructed using local volcanic stone and rendered masonry, with a square cross-section tower approximately 7 meters tall, whitewashed. The attached keeper's quarters were a single storey, originally housing 2-3 keepers and families.
4. Light and Navigation
The light characteristic is Group flash—Fl(1 + 7) W 8 s, with a nominal range of 14 nautical miles and a light color of white. The reference is Admiralty/Dutch: D 2792.
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The original lighthouse museum occupies the old 1897 tower and keeper's house, accessible by car or bus/taxi. Parking is available nearby. Opening hours are Tuesday-Saturday 10 am-5 pm; closed Sundays and Mondays. Facilities include a small exhibition of historical navigation equipment, interpretive panels in Spanish and English, and panoramic roof terrace.
The active lighthouse is closed to the public (restricted area around tower).
6. Notable Views and Landscape
Visitors can enjoy expansive Atlantic Ocean vistas, nearby rocky shoreline and tide pools. At sunset, the lighthouse silhouette is a popular photography subject. Nearby attractions include Castillo del Tostón (16th-century coastal fort), Lagoons and beaches of El Cotillo, and fishing village atmosphere with seafood restaurants and artisan shops.
7. Anecdotes and Folklore
The name "Tostón" may derive from the old Castilian word for a small toasted piece of bread, possibly alluding to the rocky, toasted-brown cliffs on which the lighthouse stands. Former keepers' diaries (now on display in the museum) recount heavy gales in winter and the isolation of station duty.
8. Technical and Operational Details
The managing authority is Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas. The light tower is fully automated, with no permanent on-site keepers. There are no reported AIS/Radar installations. The original 1897 building is preserved as a local cultural asset and tourist attraction.
9. Further Information
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tostón_Lighthouse
- OpenStreetMap node: https://www.openstreetmap.org/node/171910059
- Autoridad Portuaria de Las Palmas – official light list
- Local tourism office (La Oliva) brochure on "Ruta de los Faros"
Details
| Name | Faro del Tostón |
|---|---|
| City | El Cotillo |
| Country | Spain |
| Coordinates | 28.7154387, -14.0137559 |
| Year of construction | 1897 |
| Keeper stories | Former keepers’ diaries (now on display in the museum) recount heavy gales in winter and the isolation of station duty, especially before the switch to automation. |
| Stories | The name “Tostón” may derive from the old Castilian word for a small toasted piece of bread, possibly alluding to the rocky, toasted-brown cliffs on which the lighthouse stands. |
| Architectural style | late-19th-century functional Mediterranean coastal design |
| Construction material | "local volcanic stone and rendered masonry (original); concrete (active tower)" |
| Focal height | 35 |
| Renovations | mid-20th century (replaced by an automated light tower) |
| Access description | By car: follow the FV-10 coastal road north from Corralejo to El Cotillo; turn west to the old fortress “Castillo del Tostón,” then continue a few hundred meters along a minor lane to the lighthouse complex. By bus/taxi: local bus services connect Corralejo and El Cotillo; a short walk from the village center. |
| Accessible | true |
| Parking | true |
| View description | expansive Atlantic Ocean vistas; nearby rocky shoreline and tide pools. At sunset, the lighthouse silhouette is a popular photography subject. |
| Guided tours | false |
| Facilities | small exhibition of historical navigation equipment, interpretive panels in Spanish and English, panoramic roof terrace |
| Nearby attractions | ["Castillo del Tostón (16th-century coastal fort)","Lagoons and beaches of El Cotillo (e.g. Playa de la Concha)"] |
| AIS Radar | false |
| Light characteristic | "Group flash—Fl(1 + 7) W 8 s" |
| Light range | 14 |
| Automated | true |