Versão portuguesa aqui.

GPS 38.75346223385736, -28.311433230161853

The Rosais lighthouse came into operation on May 1, 1958. The project was designed by engineer João Lobo Fialho.

It is located NW of S. Jorge Island, in Ponta dos Rosais. It has a tower 27 meters high and 260 meters high. Initially, it was equipped with a 3rd order lenticular apparatus, large model (500 mm focal length), sea air, the light source being a 3000 W lamp, with a gas backup system. The rotation of the optics was produced by electric motors.

In 1961 a garage was built and in 1962 a telephone station was installed in the lighthouse.

In 1964, the seismic crisis that started on the 16th of February forced the lighthouse staff and their families to be evacuated on the 18th. The lighthouse from this date did not light up again. On the 20th, in a first inspection of the lighthouse, it was found that the rotation mechanism was out of order, there was spilled mercury from the vat and several cracks in the building. The road that connects the lighthouse to the village was obstructed by large boulders, which were only removed with dynamite.

After repairing the faults and after the seismic crisis, everything returned to normal from March 12th.

On January 1, 1980, the lighthouse was again deeply affected by new earthquakes that damaged practically all systems. All personnel were evacuated except for the chief and a lighthouse keeper who lived on the island. The lighthouse started to work with the reserve system (gas) with solar valve. The two employees tried to use the lighthouse's facilities for as little time as possible, even spending the night in a vehicle overnight. The head of the lighthouse's family stayed with a friend.

​On October 19, 1980, a strong storm caused part of the roofs to disappear and several landslides of earth and rock put the lighthouse in danger of collapsing.

The material unnecessary for the lighthouse to function was removed in December 1980, and a lantern was installed in the tower to function temporarily.

On July 5, 1982, a 6th order buoy head was installed (provisional installation) on the existing whale watch tower at “Cabeça da Pontinha”, 270 meters SW of the lighthouse. Due to the difficulties in accessing the whale watch and as the lighthouse tower was in good condition, it was considered good to mount a gas lantern in the tower again.

In 1987, in order to make the system more autonomous, the gas lantern was replaced by an ML-300 lantern, starting to work with solar energy, with an ELCO - 12 eclipser and 12V 50W lamps.​

It was in charge of the staff of the Velas lighthouse and, from 2009, of the Ponta do Topo lighthouse.

LOCATION: At Ponta dos Rosais on the island of S. Jorge

FUNCTION: Coastal

ESTABLISHMENT: May 1, 1958

LATITUDE: 38º 45.23'N - 38º 45.22' N (WGS)

LONGITUDE: 28º 18.79'W - 28º 18.73' W (WGS)

HEIGHT: 27 meters

ALTITUDE: 260 meters

RANGE: 8 Miles (14.8 KM)

FEATURE: FI (2) W 10s

OPTIC Flashlight ML-300​.