Each lighthouse on the Uruguayan coast has its own stories to tell with breathtaking views of the horizon. Let’s start the tour…
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Traveling along the coast
We take as a starting point for this tour, (which is not part of any tourist route although it could be) some of the 13 lighthouses that the Uruguayan coast has.
We have the possibility of seeing this route – which goes from the ocean coast at Cabo Polonio to the fresh waters of the Río de la Plata in Colonia, as a succession of diverse natural and cultural environments.
We can also see these seven lighthouses as works of engineering and architecture set in panoramic scenery of which they are the undisputed protagonists.
Or we can simply think of them as places from which to enjoy a privileged visual perspective of the coast.
What we hope is that this article will allow you to evoke or imagine stories of sailors, heroism, shipwrecks, or storms that may have occurred there.
Cabo Polonio Lighthouse
We begin with this lighthouse located on the Atlantic coast, in Cabo Polonio and built 15 meters above sea level. It was illuminated in May 1881, has white flashes of light every 12 seconds, with a range of 17.8 nautical miles.
If you visit it, you will have to climb 32 steps, but it is worth it and you can get panoramic photos of the ocean and the rocky coast of Cabo Polonio.
It is surrounded by a variety of wildlife, including seals, sea lions and seabirds.
In 1976, this lighthouse was named a Historic Monument of Uruguay and is still used today to guide ships sailing close to the coast.
Did you know that musician Jorge Drexler wrote his song 12 seconds of darkness in reference to this lighthouse?
Cabo Santa María Lighthouse
In the seaside resort of La Paloma, Rocha, stands this beautiful and emblematic construction that today is still used by the fishing port.
It was built and illuminated on September 1, 1874 and its structure is composed of a circular tower of masonry, with a dome of red and white radial stripes.
It has a height of 30 meters and a luminous range of 20.5 nautical miles. Entering it, you can climb the stairs to the top, where you can enjoy a wonderful view of the sea and the city.
José Ignacio Lighthouse
The José Ignacio Lighthouse or Faro Punta José Ignacio is located in José Ignacio, Maldonado.
It was first illuminated on June 1, 1877. It has a cylindrical stone tower with three white rings and a white and red striped dome, white buildings at the foot. It is in the most salient and rocky end of the peninsula, in a dangerous zone since the cape is surrounded by reefs that represent a great danger for navigation. Its luminous intensity is 1550 candelas and emits a white flash every 2 seconds.
It has a height of 25 meters and a luminous range of 12.7 nautical miles and you will love to visit it and even if you do not climb to the top the environment of the coast is very enjoyable.
Isla de Lobos Lighthouse
With a height of 59 meters and a luminous range of 22.9 nautical miles, this solitary lighthouse was inaugurated in July 1906 (previously there was the Punta del Este lighthouse).
The lighthouse tower measures 50 meters, is cylindrical and built in concrete, which differentiates it from other Uruguayan lighthouses.
In 2001 it was the first Uruguayan lighthouse to be automated with state-of-the-art equipment.
If you want to visit it, there are excursions that leave from Playa Brava in Punta del Este.
Lighthouse of Punta del Este
It is located in the old neighborhood of the spa. It had been built in 1858 in the Island of Lobos and in 1860 moved to the Peninsula.
It is located in the high zone of the Peninsula, equidistant of the Beaches Mansa and Brava. Its focal height is 44 meters, and today it continues in activity emitting 2 flashes every 8 seconds. From the top of the lighthouse (after climbing 150 steps) you can see perfectly the Punta de la Salina and its picturesque surroundings.
The material, based on Italian volcanic ash, with which it was built has allowed the excellent conservation of the work over the years. It has a height of 25 meters, with a luminous range of 8.8 nautical miles.
You can only visit it on Heritage Day, so to climb the tower you must wait until that celebration in September or October.
Punta Brava Lighthouse
Located in the neighborhood of Punta Carretas in Montevideo and on the shores of the Rio de la Plata. It is declared as National Monument.
Its tower was built with carved stone plastered in its interior and elevated on its solid base. And his flashes are a red light that alternates with a white light every 5 seconds what makes it unique along with the other lighthouses the Uruguayan coast.
If we talk about technical data, we have found out that it has a height of 19 meters and has a luminous range of 18.5 nautical miles.
In spite of having been inaugurated and put into operation on October 1, 1876, it is still very important for the navigation of fishing vessels.
Colonia del Sacramento Lighthouse
It is a white and red tower of 26 meters high located on the peninsula of the city. The lighthouse tower is built of bricks and has a spiral staircase leading to the top.
It was built in 1857 but is not the oldest in Uruguay. Originally powered by whale oil, it was converted to an electric lighthouse in 1920. Today, it is a popular tourist attraction, as it offers a panoramic view of the city, the Rio de la Plata and the Argentine coast.
The lighthouse also has a small museum at its base, where objects related to the history of the lighthouse and navigation in the area are exhibited. Today, the lighthouse is still operated by the Uruguayan Navy and is an important aid to navigation in the area.
One more fact
The idea for this article came about when we discovered the photos of the lighthouses. When we saw the images collected and then we began to investigate looking for certain data on stories of sailors and shipwrecks.
If you are interested in the subject, we recommend the book De naufragios y leyendas en las costas de Rocha by the Uruguayan journalist and writer Juan Antonio Varese. Originally published in 1993, it has an expanded reprint in 2021.
Towering above the rest of Uruguay’s coastline, the lighthouses are part of the cultural and tourist landscape and each has its own stories to tell.
All illustrations on this site are courtesy of Pictographic.