Name and Location

The Santa Clara Island Lighthouse, also known as Faro de la Isla de Santa Clara or simply Faro de Santa Clara, is located on the island of the same name in the central Bay of La Concha, Donostia-San Sebastián, Gipuzkoa, Basque Country, Spain. The coordinates are 43°19′18.7″ N, 1°59′54.9″ W (decimal: 43.3218739, –1.9982678).

2. Construction and History

The lighthouse was built as part of Spain's mid-19th-century maritime safety program under the Dirección de Faros (Lighthouse Directorate). The first light was established in 1861 as a preliminary beacon, followed by the current tower being inaugurated in 1865 (or possibly between 1863 and 1864 for the masonry phase). The lighthouse was automated in the mid-20th century, around the 1950s or 1960s.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Santa Clara Island Lighthouse is a functional 19th-century masonry lighthouse with modest neoclassical influences in the keepers' quarters. The tower rises from the center of a single-story keeper's dwelling and is made of local granite masonry, while the cast-iron lantern room and gallery are painted white. The tower stands at 12 meters (40 feet) above base level, with a focal height of 29 meters (95 feet) above mean sea level.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse features an electric lamp with a rotating 3rd-order Fresnel lens, which was refurbished in the 20th century. The light characteristic is two white flashes every 15 seconds (Fl(2) W 15 s), with a nominal range of 9 nautical miles. It remains an active aid to navigation within Bay of La Concha.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can land on the island and walk to the lighthouse along a marked footpath, which takes around 10 minutes to complete. The island is a popular summer destination, with local boat taxis ("lancha") running from La Concha beach (seasonal timetable, ~€5 round-trip). However, the tower and lantern are closed to the public, while the keeper's house is not a museum.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The lighthouse sits perched at the western tip of the island amid coarse grass and low scrub, offering panoramic views of La Concha bay and beaches (east), Mount Urgull and Old Town skyline (north), Ondarreta and Gros beaches (west and south), and the surrounding landscape.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

8. Technical and Operational Details

The managing authority is the Autoridad Portuaria de Pasaia (Port Authority of Pasaia), which administers the Port of San Sebastián under Puertos del Estado (State Ports). The lighthouse is maintained periodically by Port Authority's lighthouse personnel, with automated monitoring via remote telemetry.

9. Further Information

The Santa Clara Island Lighthouse remains an active aid to navigation and a beloved landmark of San Sebastián's bay. For further information, see the official fact sheet on Puertos del Estado's website or consult various maritime safety agency catalogues and Wikipedia (es).