Cap d’Artrutx Lighthouse

The Cap d’Artrutx Lighthouse is an active 19th century lighthouse located on the low-lying headland on Menorca. It was completed in 1859 but the tower was significantly increased in 1969. Automated in 1980, the keeper’s accommodation is now used as a restaurant. It was designed by the architect Emili Pou who planned a number of lights in the Balearic Islands.

The original tower was much shorter than that seen today, with a height of only 17 metres. Reverberations from waves entering a sea cave nearby caused problems within the lighthouse. In 1967, a new maritime lighting plan for the Balearics was drawn up which outlined the need for a higher tower at Artrutx. When the new tower was constructed in 1969, the 34 metre high cylindrical structure was built with four buttresses or ribs, giving the light a unique shape in comparison to others in the archipelago.

With the automation of the lighthouse in 1980, the unused keeper’s accommodation was later converted into a café and restaurant, providing food and drink to patrons who visit to watch the sunset on the terrace. The lighthouse can be visited when the restaurant is open, but the tower is closed.

References:

• Wikipedia

Address

Passeig Marítim 74A, Cap d'Artrutx, Spain

Details

Founded: 1859
Category: Miscellaneous historic sites in Spain