The Chipiona lighthouse was built under the direction of the engineer Jaime Font, and the work began on 30 April 1863. The director of this remarkable engineering feat was awarded the Cross of Isabel la Católica in 1869, along with the contractor of the work, Antonio Lazo, “for the determination and intelligence shown in the construction of the said lighthouse”.
It is considered to be the tallest lighthouse in Spain, with the tower reaching 60 metres in height, and one of the tallest in the world. It rises to 69 metres above sea level. To reach the lamp, you have to climb 322 steps, and the beam of light can be seen for 25 nautical miles (45 kilometres), sending flashes lasting 0.3 seconds every 10 seconds.
It is made of sedimentary rock , a blend of shells and sand, extracted from the Quarry Beach, between Chipiona and Rota, and its cladding is made of slabs from Tarifa and materials taken from the Sierra Carbonera, between San Roque and La Linea de la Concepción. When the lighthouse was being built, the engineer Jaime Font gave geometry lessons after work to the stone masons from Galicia, to ensure that the stone cutting and curvature for the next day would be perfect. The tower is hollow with a spiral staircase and inspired by the commemorative columns raised by the Romans.
The Chipiona lighthouse is operated by the Port Authority of Seville since 1 January 1993, when the new law governing the country’s lighthouses and merchant navy came into force.
To request a visit to the Chipiona lighthouse:
Tourism Office. Calle Castillo, nº 5.
Opening times: from Monday to Sunday, from 10am to 2pm.
Phone: 956 92 90 65
E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
