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Europa Point Lighthouse

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Europa Point Lighthouse
Europa Point Lighthouse at Gibraltar, with former keepers' cottages to the left and the former fog-horn house to the right
Map
LocationEuropa Point,Gibraltar,United KingdomEdit this at Wikidata
Coordinates36°06′35″N5°20′41″W/ 36.109634°N 5.344798°W/36.109634; -5.344798
Tower
Constructed1838Edit this on Wikidata
Constructionmasonry (tower)Edit this on Wikidata
AutomatedFebruary 1994Edit this on Wikidata
Height20 m (66 ft)Edit this on Wikidata
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite (tower), white (lantern)Edit this on Wikidata,stripe (red, horizontal direction)Edit this on Wikidata
OperatorTrinity House(1838–)Edit this on Wikidata
Light
First lit1 August 1841Edit this on Wikidata
Focal height49 m (161 ft)Edit this on Wikidata
LensSingle-tier LED
Intensity72,216 candelaEdit this on Wikidata
Range18 nmi (33 km; 21 mi)Edit this on Wikidata
CharacteristicIso W 10sEdit this on Wikidata

TheEuropa Point Lighthouse,also referred to as theTrinity Lighthouse at Europa Pointand theVictoria TowerorLa FarolainLlanito,is alighthouseatEuropa Point,on the southeastern tip of theBritish Overseas TerritoryofGibraltar,on the southern end of theIberian Peninsula,at the entrance to theMediterranean Sea.

Europa Lighthouse was inaugurated on 1 August 1841 in a brief ceremony witnessed by about 10,000 people. The first upgrade of the lighthouse occurred in 1864, when the single-wick lamp was replaced with aChance Brothersfour-wick burner, with further changes in 1875 and in 1894 when the amount of light emitted was increased. Athree incandescent mantle burnerwas added in 1905. Following further modernisation in the 20th century, the lighthouse was fully automated in 1994 and converted toLEDoperation in 2016.

Europa Point Lighthouse is operated byTrinity House.The cylindrical tower is painted white, with a wide red horizontal band in the middle. The lighthouse has a height of 20 metres (66 ft) and is 49 metres (161 ft) above the high-water mark.

History

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Also known as the Trinity Lighthouse at Europa Point and the Victoria Tower,[1]the Europa Point Lighthouse, of classic British design, first underwent construction in 1838.[2][3]SirAlexander George Woodford(1782–1870),Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar,set the first stone for the lighthouse's foundation on 26 April 1838, with the aid of theMasonic Order of Gibraltar.[2][4]The inscription read:[1]

This foundation-stone of a light-house, erected by order of the colonial government of her Majesty Victoria, Queen of Great Britain and Ireland and their dependencies, in the first year of her reign, was laid on the 26th day of April, A.D. 1838, A.L. 5838, with military and masonic honours, by his Excellency Major-General Sir Alexander Woodford, K.C.B. &c. governor and commander-in-chief of the town and garrison of Gibraltar, assisted by the Rev. W. E. T. Burrow, D.D. F.R.S. Provincial Grand Master, for the protection of Mediterranean commerce, the saving of human life, and the honour of the British name.

A brief ceremony commemorated the event, which was witnessed by about 10,000 people.[1][5]Construction of the lighthouse was completed in 1841, and was inaugurated according to schedule on 1 August that year.[6]The first lighting of the Europa Point Lighthouse drew an audience of more than 2,000 people.[2][3][5]

To navigate theBay of Gibraltarprior to the opening of the lighthouse sailors were dependent on the light emitted by theShrine of Our Lady of Europe,Roman Catholicshrine,which was originally a mosque built after the victory ofKing Ferdinand IV of Spainover theMoorsat the1309 siege.They expressed their gratitude by leaving supplies of oil at the chapel, which also encouraged the continued burning of the lights.[5][7][8]

Europa Point Lighthouse in 1879

At the time of the opening of the lighthouse in 1841, a fixed light was emitted by an oil lamp with one wick. The intensity of the light was increased by a large (first-order) optic byCookson & Co.,[9]combining a maindioptricfixed lens with upper and lower tiers ofcatoptricmirrors.[10]On 25 April 1843, lighting was upgraded to improve visibility fromSandy Bay,and in 1854, the lighthouse had a reported visibility of 16 miles (26 km).[11]

Repairs and alterations were made to the lighthouse in 1863-64 by engineerHenry Norris,[12]when the single-wick lamp was replaced with aChance Brothersfour-wick burner, and a new, much-improved optic was provided (a first-order fixed catadioptric, also by Chance Brothers). The improvements included provision of a red arc of light over the hazardousPearl Rockregion:[10][13]in order to maintain the intensity of the red light out as far as Pearl Rock (which was 6 miles away), 9-foot high vertical reflecting prisms were used to redirect light from the landward side (where it would otherwise be wasted) back through the red sector.[14]An additional upgrade was made in 1875 when the lamp was switched out for a four-wick mineral oil burner.[10]

In 1894, the lighthouse was further altered to increase the amount of light emitted. The four-wick burner was exchanged for a Douglass burner with eight wicks and the lantern was improved; the power of the light was thereby increased to 35,000candela.Thecharacteristic of the lightchanged from fixed toocculting.An explosivefog signalwas also introduced, with two quick blasts every five minutes.[5][10]The eight-wick burner was exchanged for athree incandescent mantle burnerin 1905.[10]In 1923, the burner was replaced by a Hood petroleum vapour burner with one mantle.[10]

The 1956 optic on display (after it was removed from the lighthouse).

Later, between 1954 and 1956, further extensive changes were made and the introduction of electric lighting further improved visibility.[5][10]As part of the upgrade, a much more powerful, revolving lens system was introduced for the primary optic: a Stone-Chance2nd OrderCatadioptricoptic. By a complex arrangement of lenses and shades, the optic displayed anisophasewhite light (5 seconds on, 5 seconds off) when seen from most directions, but was seen as a redocculting light(on for 5.8 seconds, off for 4.2 seconds) within the red sector, covering the Pearl Rock.[15]In addition, at this time, a separate redsector lightwas added, which projected a fixed red beam across the same sector from a room below the main light. To accommodate the new equipment, the height of the tower was increased by 6 feet (1.8 m).[10]Also, as part of this upgrade, a set of SuperTyfonfoghornswas installed, mounted on their own engine-house, alongside the tower; they sounded one blast every 20 seconds.

The lighthouse was fully automated in February 1994.[2]The extant optics were kept, but complemented with a three-position lampchanger. The foghorn was changed to an electric model, with a directional 500 Hz emitter stack that was installed on the gallery of the lantern room.[10]

In 2016, as part of a comprehensive upgrade to the light and its electric systems, the revolving optic was removed (along with the red arc, with its vertical prisms, and the subsidiary sector light). It was replaced with a pair of all-round white single-tier LED lanterns displaying anisophasecharacteristic (one providing the main light, the other serving as a standby). At the same time the fog signal was discontinued. The decommissioned 1950s optic was then presented to the newly establishedUniversity of Gibraltar,where it has been placed on display.[16]

Description

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Europa Point Lighthouse

The lighthouse, which remains active, is strategically located at the southeastern tip of theRock of Gibraltarat Europa Point, between theAtlanticand Mediterranean, rising to 49 metres (161 ft) above the high-water mark.[2][3][10][17]The Mediterranean is to the east, theBay of Gibraltarto the northwest, and theStrait of Gibraltarto the southwest.[3]

The lighthouse has a 19 metres (62 ft) masonry tower with lantern and gallery; the tower is painted white, with a single wide red horizontal band in the middle.[3]It is locally known as "La Farola"(literally 'lamppost' in Spanish) inLlanito,Gibraltar's spoken vernacular.[18]

Administration

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Europa Point Lighthouse andRock of Gibraltar,as viewed fromStrait of Gibraltar

The lighthouse is the only such building outside of the British Isles which is operated by Trinity House, a lighthouse agency based in England.[2][3]Accordingly, it is also referred to as the Trinity Lighthouse. Trinity House was made responsible for building and operating the Europa Point Lighthouse by theGibraltar Lighthouse, etc. Act 1838.[19]In addition, section 634 of theMerchant Shipping Act 1894resulted in Trinity House becoming thegeneral lighthouse authorityfor Gibraltar.[10][20]The site of the lighthouse is managed by theGovernment of Gibraltar,and monitoring of the lighthouse is through a reporting station connected by telephone to the Gibraltar Port Office.[3][10]TheUnited Kingdom Hydrographic OfficeAdmiralty Digital Lists of Lights (ADLL) number for the Europa Point Lighthouse is D2438. The United StatesNational Geospatial-Intelligence Agency(NGA) number is 4220.[3]

Soon after World War II,amateur radio,also calledham radio,made its appearance in Gibraltar. TheGibraltar Amateur Radio Society,with its headquarters onCoaling Island,operates from the lighthouse once annually, during the third weekend of August. The annual International Lighthouse and Lightship Weekend has as its goal in Gibraltar of putting the Europa Point Lighthouse on the air, using thecall sign,ZB2LGT.[21][22]TheAmateur Radio Lighthouse Society(ARLHS) number for the lighthouse is GIB-001.[3]

See also

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References

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Notes
Citations
  1. ^abcJohn Purdy(1840)."The Pharonology".The new sailing directory for the Strait of Gibraltar and the western division of the Mediterranean Sea.R.H. Laurie. p. i.Retrieved31 July2012.
  2. ^abcdef"Europa Point".gibraltar.gi.Official Gibraltar Website. Archived fromthe originalon 3 March 2012.Retrieved19 July2012.
  3. ^abcdefghiRowlett, Russ."Lighthouses of Gibraltar".The Lighthouse Directory.University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Retrieved18 July2012.
  4. ^Lee, Sidney,ed. (1900)."Woodford, Alexander George".Dictionary of National Biography.Vol. 62. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
  5. ^abcde"Lighthouse at Europa Point".gibraltar.com.Gibraltar Travel Guide.Retrieved19 July2012.
  6. ^The Merchants' Magazine and Commercial Review.F. Hunt. 1842. p. 578.
  7. ^"Origin of the title 'Our Lady of Europe'".ourladyofeurope.net.Catholic Diocese of Gibraltar. Archived fromthe originalon 28 October 2016.Retrieved19 July2012.
  8. ^Alice Mascarenhas (5 May 2009)."The Shrine of Our Lady of Europe is a Centre of Spirituality".Gibraltar Chronicle.Retrieved19 July2012.
  9. ^"Lighthouse management: the report of the Royal Commissioners on Lights, Buoys, and Beacons, 1861, examined and refuted Vol. 2".1861. p. 106.
  10. ^abcdefghijkl"Europa Point".trinityhouse.co.uk.Trinity House. Archived fromthe originalon 17 August 2012.Retrieved19 July2012.
  11. ^Anonym, Anonym (2009) [First published 1854].Atlantic Navigator (1854).BoD – Books on Demand. p. 112.ISBN978-3-86195-170-4.
  12. ^"The Army - Gibraltar Garrison",Saunders's News-Letter,p. 3, 8 September 1863,The lighthouse at Gibraltar is undergoing considerable alterations and repairs, under the directions of Mr. Norris, of the Trinity House, who has been sent out from England for this purpose.
  13. ^Admiralty Hydrogr. Dept (1885).Sailing directions. Pilot for the west coasts of France, Spain, and Portugal(3 ed.). p. 318.Retrieved19 July2012.
  14. ^Chance, James Francis (1902).The Lighthouse Work of Sir James Chance, Bt(PDF).London: Smith, Elder & co. pp. 58–61.Retrieved27 March2019.
  15. ^Woodman, Richard; Wilson, Jane (2002).The Lighthouses of Trinity House.Bradford-on-Avon, Wilts.: Thomas Reed. p. 245.
  16. ^"Europa Point Lighthouse re-engineering complete".Trinity House.15 March 2017.Retrieved18 January2020.
  17. ^"Historical Gibraltar Attractions".gibraltarinformation.com.Archived fromthe originalon 29 August 2012.Retrieved18 July2012.
  18. ^"Europa Point".Gibraltar.com.Retrieved12 March2014.
  19. ^Gibraltar Lighthouse, etc. Act 1838 (1 & 2 Vict.) c. 66
  20. ^"About Trinity House".trinityhouse.co.uk.Trinity House.Retrieved19 July2012.
  21. ^"Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society".gibradio.net.Gibraltar Amateur Radio Society.Retrieved19 July2012.
  22. ^"Calling the world from the lighthouse".panorama.gi.Gibraltar News from Panorama.Retrieved19 July2012.
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Animation of photographs
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