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GPS 38.4345333222301, -9.116459972976589

The Forte do Cavalo lighthouse is located in an old fort called S. Teodósio whose construction began in 1648 and ended in 1652.

The works for installing and assembling the lighthouse began on November 12, 1895, using the site of the Alta do Forte Battery for the placement of the lighthouse and housing for the lighthouse keepers.

On September 15, 1896, a lighthouse with a fixed red light began to operate in the fort of Ponta do Cavalo, at the western end of the bay of Sesimbra.

The optics of this lighthouse are 6th order Fresnel dioptric-catadioptric. It is mounted on a cylindrical iron tower, painted white with vertical reinforcement ribs in gray (A.N. nº 1170 of 1896), with a height of 7 meters and an altitude of 35 metres. The light source consisted of a lamp with 2 wicks from a lower reservoir.

The lighthouse's characteristic was changed to fixed, white light with regular occultations in 1927. It had a clockwork mechanical device for movement of the apparatus.

On February 14, 1940, the Ministry of War hands over to the Ministry of Finance the Fort of S. Teodósio and adjacent land, and, in the same act, the Ministry of Finance hands over to the Ministry of the Navy the part occupied by the lighthouse.

On April 28, 1953, it switched to BBT gas and on January 24, 1958, it replaced it with acetylene gas.

The lighthouse tower that was white was painted red.

The lighthouse was electrified in 1972 with power from the public grid.

It was refurbished in 1983 and now uses 12V/40W halogen lamps, with an EKSK-12 eclipser.

In 1992 the lighthouse was automated with the "GISMAN" model system and with a 24V/180W lamp, with changer.

FUNCTION: COASTAL

ESTABLISHMENT: 1896

LATITUDE: 38º 26.15' N

LONGITUDE: 09º 06.90' W

HEIGHT: 7 m

ALTITUDE: 35 m

RANGE: 14 MI (26Km)

FEATURE: Oc W 5s