Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse

Name: Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse
Address: Ponta da Vigia, Ponta do Pargo, Ponta do Pargo, PT

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About

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse is an active lighthouse at Ponta da Vigia in Ponta do Pargo, on Madeira’s westernmost tip. It stands on a rocky cliff 290 metres above sea level.

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Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Lighthouse lantern above the long white building and paved forecourt

Allie_Caulfield · CC BY 2.0 · edited

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — White lighthouse and low adjoining building behind a garden fence

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Red lantern tower rising above the white lighthouse building

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Lighthouse tower beside the adjoining building and coastal grass

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Illuminated lighthouse lantern against dramatic evening clouds

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Close view of the red lantern and its surrounding gallery

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Lighthouse tower viewed along the side of the adjoining building

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Open ocean and rugged headland viewed from the lighthouse coast

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Steep green coastal cliffs descending to the ocean

Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse — Northward coastline and sea beneath a cloudy sky

Why go

A small museum displays objects about Madeira’s lighthouses, plus photographs and documents about the archipelago’s history.
Portugal’s most visited lighthouse in 2017, with 14,232 visitors.
A plaque marks the theoretical zero point of Switzerland’s LV95 coordinate system, 261 km away.

Opening hours

Today14:00 – 17:00Show all

MondayClosed

TuesdayClosed

Wednesday14:00 – 17:00

ThursdayClosed

FridayClosed

SaturdayClosed

SundayClosed

Know before you go

Open Wednesdays from 14:00 to 17:00.

Interesting facts3

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14 metres
The tower is 14 metres tall.
Farol da Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia
312 metres
The light’s focal height is 312 metres above sea level.
Farol da Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia
The lighthouse was fitted with a second-order Fresnel lens with a 700 mm focal length.
Phare de Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia

Shorts

History

Studies and a construction project preceded the lighthouse on Ponta Vigia. Over time, its lighting and power systems changed, and an adjoining building became a museum.

1896On-site studies for the lighthouse were carried out.
1911The lighthouse construction project was developed.
1922The lighthouse was built atop Ponta Vigia and began operating on 5 June.
1937An incandescent petroleum-vapour lamp replaced the original oil lamp.
1958Generator sets and a gas backup system electrified the lighthouse.

Show all

1989The lighthouse was connected to the public electricity grid and automated.
2001A small museum opened in an adjoining lighthouse building.

Sources: Farol da Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia · Farol da Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia · Phare de Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia · Farol da Ponta do Pargo - Wikipedia · checked 10 Oct 2026

Where

Ponta da Vigia, Ponta do Pargo

Plan from here: A day out →

Questions and answers

What originally powered the light at Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse?

A constant-level oil lamp.

How did the original optics at Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse rotate?

A clockwork mechanism turned them.

What heritage recognition does Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse have?

The regional government designated it a local cultural heritage site in 1999.

When was the Swiss coordinate plaque at Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse installed?

In 2018.

How many people visited Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse in 2018?

15,301.

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