Punta de Teno Lighthouse

Punta de Teno Lighthouse
Location	Buenavista del Norte; Tenerife; Canary Islands; Spain
Coordinates	28°20′32″N 16°55′22″W / 28.342096°N 16.922865°W
Tower
Constructed	1897 (first)
Construction	concrete tower (current); stone tower (first)
Height	20 metres (66 ft) (current); 8 metres (26 ft) (first)
Shape	cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	tower with red and white bands (current); unpainted tower (first)
Power source	solar power
Operator	Autoridad Portuaria de Santa Cruz de Tenerife
Light
First lit	1976 (current)
Focal height	60 metres (200 ft)
Range	18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (2+1) W 20s.
Spain no.	ES-12920

The Punta de Teno Lighthouse (Spanish: Faro de Punta de Teno) is an active lighthouse in the municipality of Buenavista del Norte on the Canary Island of Tenerife. The current lighthouse was the second to be constructed on the narrow rocky headland of Punta de Teno, which is the most westerly point on the island. It is one of seven lighthouses which mark the coastline of Tenerife, and lies between the Punta Rasca Lighthouse to the southeast, and the modern lighthouse of Buenavista to the northeast.^[1]

History

The 19th and 20th century towers of Punta de Teno

The first lighthouse was completed in 1897, as part of the first maritime lighting plan for the Canaries.^[2] Built in a similar style to other Canarian 19th century lights, it consists of a white washed single storey building, with dark volcanic rock used for the masonry detailing. The light was shown from a lantern room at the top of an eight-metre high masonry tower, attached to the seaward side of the house, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. It remained in service until it was replaced in the 1970s by the new modern tower.^[1]

The new lighthouse, which was built adjacent to the original building first entered service in 1978. It consists of a 20 m high cylinder-shaped tower, which is white with red bands, that supports twin galleries and a lantern with a white cupola. The design is similar to the new tower of Fuencaliente Lighthouse on La Palma.^[1]

With a focal height of 60 m above sea level, the light can be seen for 18 nautical miles. Its light characteristic is made up of a pattern of three flashes of white light every twenty seconds.^[1]^[3]

The lighthouse is maintained by the Port authority of the Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. It is registered under the international Admiralty number D2832 and has the NGA identifier of 113-23840.^[1]^[3]