The Bugio Lighthouse, also known as São Lourenço da Cabeça Seca Fort, was built in the 16th century and is a historical and cultural monument located in Lisbon. This lighthouse has a long history and is known for its privileged location in the middle of the waters of the Tagus River estuary.
The place where it stands is a sandbank formed by the silting up of the river mouth, the result of the confluence of its waters with those of the Atlantic Ocean, to the rhythm of the tides.
The toponymy howler can be attributed, among other versions, to the French bougie (candle), due to the similarity of its circular structure and the primitive tower topped by a lighthouse, with a lighted candle on its candlestick.
The structure of the fortification is made up of:
- The outer wall (with a circular base, 62 meters in diameter and 6 meters high) is divided by an arched doorway;
- Inner wall (circular in shape, 33 meters in diameter and 7 meters high);
- The central tower (circular in shape, 3 meters in diameter and 16 meters high) has an arched doorway. At the top of the tower is the modern lighthouse;
- Command house, barracks, armory, storerooms, cistern and chapel.
How it all began
The idea of a fortification for the bar of the River Tagus, to protect maritime access to the city of Lisbon, was first put forward during the reign of King Sebastião (1568-78) by the architect Francisco de Holanda. The sovereign accepted this suggestion and in 1578 commissioned Manuel de Almada to build this structure, with the strategic function of crossing fires with the Fort of S. Julião da Barra (at the time known as the Tower of S. Gião), also part of the city’s defensive scheme.
And it evolved
With the succession crisis that occurred after the death of the king in the battle of Alcácer-Quibir, and with the possibility of an invasion of Portugal by the troops of King Philip II of Spain, it was decided to build a small structure, raised on wooden stilts that, filled with stones, served as the foundation for a platform with artillery pieces.
Now under Spanish rule
In 1580, after surrendering to the Spanish armada, it was later dismantled. The fragility of the materials used, together with the instability of the sandbank and the action of the currents and tides, soon compromised this structure irreparably. In 1586, during the Philippine Dynasty, King Philip I commissioned a study to improve the defensive system of the Lisbon bar, which was under threat from English and Dutch privateers. Four years later, two designs for the fortification were presented to the sovereign, and Philip I opted for the scheme with a circular shape. In other words, it was a more solid fortification in the face of the dynamics of the waters and allowed for better positioning of the artillery.
In 1593, the laying of the stones that would serve as the foundations was completed underwater. To prepare the blocks of stone used for the foundations and walls, a construction site was built on land near São Julião da Barra.
From 1598 onwards, the Italian military engineer and architect Leonardo Torriania took charge of the project. This was when the project entered a new phase, given the changes that Torriani made to it, extending it.
Until it returned to Portuguese hands
In the Restoration of Independence on December 1st, 1640, it was still under construction but already garrisoned and equipped with artillery. Assuming the throne as D. João IV (1640-1656), this sovereign determined that the works were concluded and that a Portuguese engineer took over the works (1643). Thus began a new constructive phase, under the supervision of the Count of Cantanhede, having been concluded in 1657.
The inspection report carried out on the lighthouse in 1751 shows that it operated on olive oil and that it was in reasonable condition. This structure, destroyed by the earthquake of 1755, was rebuilt as one of the six lighthouses erected on the Portuguese coast to aid navigation, as determined by the Marquis of Pombal in 1758. The new lighthouse became operational in 1775.
20th and 21st centuries
The Navy Museum in Lisbon and the Naval Museum in Almada often host exhibitions on Portugal’s lighthouse system, including models and historical documentation relating to the Bugio Lighthouse.
Importance of the Bugio Lighthouse for maritime safety
Despite its heritage value, the Bugio Lighthouse continues to serve a practical purpose:
- Automated system: The Bugio Lighthouse has been restored several times over the centuries. Since the 1980s, the lighthouse has been operating with an automated system, remotely controlled by the Portuguese Navy’s Lighthouse Directorate.
- Modern navigation aid: It is a key reference point for vessels entering and leaving the port of Lisbon, both for international cruises and for cargo and fishing vessels.
