The tower is the natural stone colour of the stone from which it is built and the dome of the lamp is of a natural copper colour. It is of a cylindrical shape and occupies the centre of the keepers’ room, from which it protrudes 2.3m.
This lighthouse in conjunction with the bell and rescue buoy which is found at 6.5 cables SW of Galacho point, mark out the entrance to the Alfaques port at night”.
This text was the announcement to sailors of the beginning of service and main points about this light, successor to the fires that were previously lit at the tower of Sant Carles.
The best description and details are found in a piece written by the chief engineer of Tarragona Cecilio Cardenal in 1875:
"Sant Carles de la Ràpita Lighthouse;
"The lighthouse at Sant Carles de la Ràpita is of 6th order, fixed red light and is located at the entrance to Alfaques point, on the point named Senieta, at the foot of the hills at which point the dividing right arm of the Ebro branches out as it approaches the sea.
The building is found 40m from the edge of the sea and 2.2m above sea level.
Requested by the Superiors on 7th February 1860, the project was studied by the distinguished chief engineer José Álvarez and approved on 3rd July 1861, undertaking the works through contract system, under the guidance of said Engineer and finishing in April 1862, being received in May of the same year.
Purchased in Paris from the company of the builder Mr. Henry Lepaute the lamp, device, bulbs and other necessary effects for illumination, were received by the Chief Engineer on 27th September 1862, proceeding to the assembly of the device and lamp, which was completed on 21st December 1862, and the light was lit on 1st November 1864.
The square bottomed building, 13.10m long, is found within a square, also 30m2, the front of which is used as a courtyard and the side and rear areas are used as a market garden.
The architecture is of a simple nature. On a plinth 0.50m high the masonry facades are raised, at a height of 2.90m along which run a cornice also masonry with a thickness of 0.30m, making the overall height of the building to its crown 3.70m. This is finished with a simple masonry parapet. On the main facade there is a door and two windows, one on each of the side facades and three on the rear.
The exterior decoration consists of a simple band forming thresholds, sashes and lintels.
The rest of the building which, as already stated, is made of masonry, is completely plastered and painted in a light yellow colour.
In the centre is erected the cylindrical tower, 2.30m in diameter and 1.30m high, the cornice adds up to 0.40m and as its base is found 0.30m from the crown of the building this results in the tower being 1.60m above it. Following this, the cylindrical tower of 1.90m exterior diameter and 1.00m high, which is finished off with a small cornice.
Surrounding this, upon the tower’s cornice, there remains a small space that, protected by a metal railing, serves as a small balcony to facilitate the cleaning of the lamp.
The top of the building is made out of four pieces of strong wood, that are directed over the diagonals and are supported by, on one side, the corners of the facades and on the other by the tower which, as already explained, occupies the centre. Upon these other, smaller pieces are supported, directed over the facades which in turn receive the plastering and paving as on the terrace. The waters of the terrace flow via two vertical drainpipes attached to the facades which then go underground until they arrive at the cistern.
In the centre of that is erected the tower of octagonal exterior shape, the sides of which are 1.00m thick. Two plain partitions at right angles to the main facade divide the level into three areas: the central one of 4.70ml in thickness and between the transverse partitions, complete the distribution of the built up space that becomes a hallway, in the foreground, followed by a square space in whose centre sits the tower and whose angles have been used for cupboards in between the partitions that bevel them. Following this space is a room used for storage and repairs, all of these included in the central area.
The left hand side is divided into three rooms, the first with a bedroom assigned for the engineer, the second for the keeper and the third adjoining with the repair or oil storage room.
Inside the tower which is completely plastered and whose radius is 1.5m, is housed the spiral staircase made of wood, and whose steps are 1.35m in length. At the height of the terrace there is a small door designed to access it, following the staircase until the level where the tower ends, where there is a trapdoor through which the light room is accessed. In the centre of this room is the forged metal column upon which the device and the lamp are set.
The lamp does not differ in detail from those used by the French constructor mentioned above, for lighthouses of this order and is therefore well recognised throughout Spain; the only peculiarity it has is that the diameter of the circle on the inside of the mountings is 1.60ml instead of 1.40ml as would be expected of its model, resulting in the size of this section of the lamp be 1.70m instead of 1.50m which means it is of 5th order instead of 6th, which is what would correspond to this lighthouse. It has 16 glasses distributed among its 8 sides.
The 6th order device lights up the whole horizon which has one of the sections attached to the rest by hinges which means it can be opened up to allow the positioning of the lamp.
It is made up, as is expected, of the dioptric area, and the second catadioptric hugging the first, whose radius is 0.30m, a vertical angle of 61,30' and the final 3, one of 144º 33', and respectively the upper and lower 5 and 3.
All of this is mounted on the bronze armature, made up of 4 meridians and 4 rheostats all supported on 4 feet ending in casters, that allow the device to be turned, this movement is guided by a vertical axle fixed in the centre to a column and that penetrates the base of the device.
The bulbs used are spring controlled, of the usual shape. As well as being able to change the ignition the upper lid of the tank can be removed thereby allowing the entire lamp to be dismantled.
The dimensions of the tank are: Height…0.19; Interior diameter… 0,09
The red light is obtained by way of a copper red funnels.
The lightning rod was not fitted at the time of building, and has been installed this year, they have used a rod sent by the Depósito de Valencia as a spare for the Buda lighthouse.
The building can also count on the following accessories: the water cistern, built on the left hand side, with a capacity of some 13.5 cubic metres, square shaped with an opening from which to retrieve the water, which is carried by the pipes mentioned earlier.
The square area mentioned before in which the lighthouse had been built was closed in to begin with by a wooden fence on a brick base. The former disappeared thanks to the humidity and the latter was in a very bad state until last year when it was replaced by a wooden base, topped off with wood and with an iron fence also with wooden pillars.
A path 165ml long and 5.50 wide, lined with trees connects the lighthouse to the nearby Vinaroz to Venta Nueva road.
The total cost of the lighthouse is detailed below:
Cost of building works: 14,861.00 pesetas. Cost of device, light, lamp, etc.: 5,125.36 pesetas Furnishings: 2,732.50 pesetas Lightning rod: 102.80 pesetas Iron fence: 7,415.02 pesetas TOTAL: 30,326.68 pesetas
Missing from this summary is the cost of assembly of the device of which no record has been found in the offices of the province.
Tarragona 19th of January1875
The Enginyer: Cecilio Cardenal
Initially refined olive oil was used as fuel. Later on the lamp was substituted for another Maris lamp of an odd series wick which was used thereafter with paraffin and petroleum. The first reported improvement came courtesy of a Royal Decree on 10th April 1918 in which a new light was fitted made up of groups of 3 and 2 white screens and an improvement in the lighting system.
For this improvement two carburettors each with a 4kg calcium carbonate capacity and permanent 17.5l ignition system were installed, designed to produce acetylene gas by way of a gas engine housed in a hut adjacent to the building. Also a set of 5 rotating screens were added to the lens, mounted on a mercury container powered by a perpetual motion clock movement and a new cylindrical light 1.8m in diameter, helicoidal mountings and a tower lined on the interior with mahogany, staircase with forged metal steps, Which was all purchased at the Spanish company "La Maquinista Valenciana".
The new look was premiered on the night of 29th August 1920 and the acetylene system on the following 2nd September.
Electricity arrived in 1929 by way of 100 candle power filament bulb that kept the Maris lamp as a reserve until May of 1951, when it was substituted by an Aladino.
The growth of the town and the increase in boat traffic, slowly but surely masked the light which became lost amongst the rest of the lights from the town. In 1956 Marine Command expressed the concerns of the lighthouse users who were now unable to distinguish the flashes.
As a solution the screens were substituted by a set of electric signal lights from the AGA Company, but this was still not enough. The final solution was to once again change the characteristics to a 4 and 1 red screens and an 11 mile range. This was made possible by a new lighting system that consisted of electric signal lights with a gas reserve from the AGA company, made up of shutter panels, a 500mm diameter dioptric drum lens, an incandescent 250w bulb, automatic changer, a photoelectric cell, a gas signal light with a 30l burner and VMS Diesel electric device, which began service on 23rd May 1975. The old system was donated to the Naval Museum of Barcelona, where it is still on display.
The growth of the town and the increase in boat traffic, slowly but surely masked the light which became lost amongst the rest of the lights from the town. In 1956 Marine Command expressed the concerns of the lighthouse users who were now unable to distinguish the flashes. As a solution the screens were substituted by a set of electric signal lights from the AGA Company, but this was still not enough.
The final solution was to once again change the characteristics to a 4 and 1 red screens and an 11 mile range. This was made possible by a new lighting system that consisted of electric signal lights with a gas reserve from the AGA company, made up of shutter panels, a 500mm diameter dioptric drum lens, an incandescent 250w bulb, automatic changer, a photoelectric cell, a gas signal light with a 30l burner and VMS Diesel electric device, which began service on 23rd May 1975. The old system was donated to the Naval Museum of Barcelona, where it is still on display.
The use of acetylene is being increasingly sidelined by the development of photoelectric systems. Slowly but surely the installations of the Delta lighthouses are being powered by solar energy. Since 1985 the San Carlos lighthouse is the only one remaining with this type of fuel, although only as a backup. Problems with handling and supply of gas led to its substitution and once again the installation is replaced.
On 2nd June 1995 a new system is installed consisting of a new electric signal light from the Balizamar Company equipped with 1000w, 220V halogen bulbs, fitted in an automatic changer capable of housing two of these. In this way the light is emphasised which, once again, had been masked by the continued urban growth.
To get to the lighthouse you must turn off the old national road to Vinarós some 800m from Sant Carles de la Ràpita and continue for approximately 150m. It is found at the edge of the beach and is integrated in a residential area which is totally developed and it stands out within the promenade that runs along the coast. The building is the original, rejuvenated and renovated on various occasions. The inside space has been substantially changed. It now houses an ample living space which is used by one of the head technicians of the province's maritime signal maintenance, an office and a hall. The exterior of the building has been complemented by two rectangular little houses. One that contains the electric backup equipment and is also used as a repair workshop and another which is used as a garage and for storage.
During the Civil War it was turned off by the Defence Committee of Tortosa from 17th March 1937 until the end of the following year.
