QHow many films have used the charm of headlights for their mother scenes? These outposts of civilization in the middle of the sea or on high coasts undoubtedly possess a charm out of time, able to attract tourists and dreamers, but not without every comfort. From those perched overlooking the sea to those that stand out on the promontories of small islets, all were born to signal to sailors obstacles and dangers approaching the stretches of coast. Progressively replaced by more precise radio beacons, in order not to fall into ruin, they have been able to evolve into tourist destinations and sometimes into charming hotels. Like the ones we offer in this gallery.
The origins of the lighthouses
At first they were just simple people bonfire fed with bundles of wood that were kept on all night on the hills, these are the headlights he was already talking about Homer in its Iliad in the seventh century BC Then the Phoenicians and then the ancient Romans make their appearance in the Mediterranean for commercial purposes and with them the first stone towers with a fire lit on topwhich spread like wildfire throughout the Empire.
It is with the Renaissance and Baroque periods that the large monumental lighthouses, real castles in the middle of the sea. Imposing but not very suitable to carry out their primary function, these architectural works were replaced in 1700 with the lighthouses that we are used to seeing today. Even the lights have been made gradually more and more more powerfull over the years and, among the predominant functions, visible from a scope that at the time they were born was certainly unimaginable.
The lighthouses in art and literature
The lighthouse is a main symbol that has always attracted artists and literaries, we find it in works of art and poems, a landscape element but also, in a metaphorical sense, as a light that guides home or towards the right path. Trip to the lighthouse from Virginia Woolfis an example, a novel with extremely introspective modern features: here the lighthouse is the background to a journey inside the Ego, in a work with various autobiographical elements linked to the author’s childhood.
In painting, however, the image of the lighthouse was represented through different styles and points of view: from the iimpressionism from Monet, with the work Le Havre pierat the metaphysical painting from De Chiricowith the picture The nostalgia of the infiniteup to the American realism from Hopper, with paintings like The lighthouse at Two Lights or Lighthouse Hill. In short, the lighthouse has always captured the attention of artists and authors from all over the world, thanks to that aura of mystery that surrounds it and to a romantic vision of “going home” and “finding a safe haven”.
The Es Moscarter Lighthouse in Ibiza is the tallest lighthouse of all the Balearic Islands
Lighthouses today: from monuments to accommodation facilities
Today many lighthouses have become real monuments, others have become accommodation where to stay and enjoy the view surrounded by silence. They are a destination for solitary and romantic travelers, who hate the great chaos of the masses. Indeed, those who choose to stay in these magical places often are loving couples who, through a metaphor, can compare their love story to the weather resistance of these buildings.
The 8 most beautiful lighthouses in the world
If the lighthouse already exerts a considerable fascination in our culture and imagination, due to fairy tales, tales and legends, some lighthouses fascinate more than others. In particular, there are 8 lighthouses around the world which certainly deserve to be known and visited, as recommended by Civitatisa company specializing in the online distribution of activities, excursions and guided tours in the main tourist destinations in the world.
The first is the Permaquid Point Lighthouse in Mainein United Stateswhich also captured the painter’s attention Edward Hopper in 1929. This lighthouse is, in fact, portrayed in the Permaquid Light painting made by the artist. It is an active building since 1827 and one of the best known places in Bristol.
Then the Creac’h Lighthousein the Finistère French, called the “Guardian of the sea”, is located in the archipelago of Îles du Ponant and falls within the Regional Natural Park of Armorica. It has been in operation since 1863 and contains a Lighthouse Museum, where tourists can learn more about these impressive buildings.
Portofino lighthouse (photo Belmond Splendido)
Moving on to Spainwe find the Tower of Herculesan impressive lighthouse located in La Coruña. It is the oldest Roman lighthouse in the world, dating back to the 1st century, and the only one still in operation. By virtue of these characteristics it has been declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. A place that definitely deserves to be visited once in a lifetime.
In Portugalinstead, you will find the picturesque Santa Marta lighthouse, 28 meters high and famous for its white and blue stripes. It is found at Cascais, next to a museum explaining the history of the Estoril coast lighthouses. Also in Portugal, visit the Cabo da Rocato Sintra. Here is the cliff that corresponds to the westernmost point of Europe, about 18 kilometers from the town of Sintra and inland Sintra-Cascais Natural Park.
In the USAwe cannot fail to mention the Trinidad Lighthousein the southern California and surrounded by a coast of steep rocks. This lighthouse, symbol of the town in which it is located, offers a landscape spectacle that leaves all visitors breathless.
Moving on to the United Kingdomnoteworthy is definitely the lighthouse of La Corbiereon the southwestern tip of Jersey. The lighthouse is located on a small islet, connected to the mainland by a path that disappears at high tide. A breathtaking landscape show for a lighthouse that was used to signal the end of the most difficult part of the crossing between England and France.
Finally, the Malariff Lighthousefound in the Snaefellsnes peninsula in Iceland is certainly unique: the building is located near the Snæfellsjökull volcano and has been present since 1946, in Snæfellsjökull National Park. It is a 24 meter lighthouse, also called Karlstaðatangi lighthouse. Here the imposing presence of the lighthouse challenges that of the volcano in a sensational game of perspectives.
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