Cristina Hodgson
THE maritime lighthouse of Malaga’s port, known as La Farola, has been an iconic symbol of the city since 1817, and today Tuesday, July 25, it will be declared a Cultural Heritage Site (Bien de Interes Cultural, BIC) by the government.
La Farola de Malaga, erected in 1817, has held an emblematic status in its function and architecture within the urban framework of Malaga for at least 200 years, as stated in the report by the Royal Academy of History, which justifies its declaration as a BIC.
The primary aim of this declaration is to promote and protect this space, preserving and highlighting its historical, artistic, and technical values.
La Farola stands out as a monument of high value in the history of Spanish lighthouses. Notably, it was designed by Joaquin Maria Pery y Guzman, a brigadier of the Navy, naval engineer, and director of the Port of Malaga.
In 1847, this monument was among the few reverberating lighthouses in Spain with a rotating light.
The construction of the building was carefully planned to support a rotating lantern at the top, positioned on the tip of the Levante promontory, with a height of 120 feet.
With over two centuries of existence, La Farola also stands out as one of the few lighthouses with a female name in Spain.
It currently forms part of Malaga’s urban landscape and continues to serve maritime signaling functions.
The approval as a Cultural Heritage Site comes after a declaration initially proposed two years ago.
READ MORE:
- Spain’s Hispania Nostra removes Acinipo from Heritage Red List
- Los Baños del Carmen, a century-old spa in Spain’s Malaga, on its way to being declared Heritage of Cultural Interest
