La Mola 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
38.663564000000
Longitude E
1.583855000000
Nominal range
23 nautical miles
Height above sea level
142 m.
Light pattern
Flashes every 5 seconds.
Daytime appearance
Tower on white house. Heigt 22 m.
History
Was designed by Emili Pou. The lighthouse was opened on the 30th November 1861. The first light consisted of a fixed 2nd order catadioptric lens manufactured by the French firm of Henri Lepaute and a Degrand oil burning lamp.
In 1928 a rotating lens with 12 catadioptric panels from the Formentor lighthouse was installed, adapted to state of the art French technology, where the lens floated in a bath of mercury thus increasing rotation speed and reducing the interval between flashes – it is still in use today producing a light pattern of isolated flashes every five seconds. At the same time the old concentric wick system was replaced by a Chance 85mm incandescent petrol vapour lamp using silk sleeves and wicks as a light source.
In 1970 the signal was converted to be run on electricity using a 3000 watt electrical three-phase lamp and two diesel generators as back-up. Its twelve paned polygonal lantern is the only one surviving in the Islands after the other lighthouses installed cylindrical lanterns with curved glass and fittings. Den Pou lighthouse lantern is also polygonal but with eight sides.
In 1944 the lighthouse keeper rescued a Luftwaffe pilot who had crashed two miles from the lighthouse, providing him with food, shelter and clothing. The following day he was taken to the seaplane base which was at that time located at the Estany Pudent and repatriated. The Nazi Government rewarded the keeper with a diploma and a thousand pesetas for his pains.
Audioguides
Images/Videos
Videos
Public domain
Lighthouses in sight
Nearest lighthouses
Balearic Lighthouses
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Mallorca
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Cabrera
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Sa Dragonera
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Formentera
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Menorca
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Eivissa
