Farol de Guia (Costa da Guia)

 building, military, lighthouse, cell site / cell tower

This is a 28 m (92 ft) tapered octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is covered with white tiles except for unpainted stone trim; lantern roof painted red. The keeper's houses are in use as residences for staff of the lighthouse department (Direcção de Faróis). This lighthouse is a beautiful and treasured example of mid 18th century architecture. Monks of the monastery of Nossa Senhora da Guia (Our Lady Guide) began displaying navigational lights on this site in 1537, and the present lighthouse was built after the great earthquake of 1755 largely destroyed the monastery. For arriving ships it serves as a landfall light for Lisbon, and for departing ships it is the rear light of a range that indicates the proper course through the bar of the Tagus. The lighthouse was extensively restored in 2002-03. Located directly on the coastal road (N247) on the west side of Cascais. Site open, tower closed.