An old harbour light became unnecessary because the mouth of the Douro was rebuilt. In 2007, new North and South breakwaters changed the configuration of the river entrance, and the light was put out because its role was no longer needed. It was deactivated in 2009.
Farolim da Cantareira stands at Cantareira, on Cais do Marégrafo in Foz do Douro. From the pavement, you can take in its compact form: a column carrying a small balcony and a white lantern. It probably dates to the eighteenth century.
In its working days, it was the forward light in the Cantareira–Sobreiras alignment for vessels entering the Douro bar. Its signal followed a precise rhythm: five seconds of light, then one second of darkness. Although it no longer operates, the farolim is open to visitors.
It also sits within a classified heritage site. This is a modest object, but it holds a clear trace of how the dangerous river entrance was once marked—and how modern engineering made that particular signal obsolete.
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