Cap Gros – La Muleta lighthouse
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Technical data
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History
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360 degrees
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Images/Videos
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Public domain
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Lighthouses in sight
Technical data
Latitude N
39.797211000000
Longitude E
2.681437000000
Nominal range
19 nautical miles
Height above sea level
120 m.
Light pattern
Group of 3 flashes every 15 seconds.
Daytime appearance
White tower and house with red roof. Height 22m.
History
A tower and small building were built by Sóller Town Council in 1842 but never saw service. It was handed over to the Ministry of Public Works in 1852 and opened on the 20th February 1859 as a 4th order lighthouse. The lighthouse was built without the intervention of engineers, commonplace in those days, and its interior construction of the tower was somewhat unusual for the time due to the fact that it had been built without a service area for the lighthouse keepers who had to carry out their watches in the gallery which caused more than one protest as the working conditions were much harsher than those in other lighthouses. At first the light emitted a signal consisting of a fixed white light fuelled by an olive oil burning lamp which was later to be replaced by a double wick Maris lamp.
The lighthouse was converted to electricity in 1918 but in April 1952 lightning destroyed the electrical cables and the reserve Aladdin lamp had to be used until August 1963 when the lighthouse started running on electricity again. In the 1970s a sealed beam optic was installed which saw service until November 2008.
The light currently employs an acrylic lens and 400w discharge lamps. Although nowadays the lighthouse is well-communicated with the Port of Sóller, in the 19th Century it was much more isolated and in winter with frequent rains and raging torrents the lighthouse keepers often took more than two and a half hours to reach the scattered settlement then existing in the harbour. When the Sa Creu lighthouse keeper needed a replacement, he generally sent for one of those living at Cap Gros.
Audioguides
Images/Videos
Public domain
Lighthouses in sight
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