La Faroleta of the 19th Century
The one in charge with the project of Ebro river lighthouses was Lucio Del Valle, a renowned Spanish engineer and architect of the 19th Century.
A laborious research was commissioned by the state to acquire knowledge about lighthouse structures, their technical characteristics and regulations, about the maritime signals and possible reforms. Important visits have been set up at lighthouses in France and England. As such, in 1864, the lighthouse from Punta del Fangar was built with a pyramid shape from iron and wood.
Initially La Faroleta was lit by a lamp of olive oil, later by a scintillator that used acetylene as a fuel.
Its maintenance was the responsibility of two faroners (lighthouse keepers). According to some scarce historical references found online, the rooms in which they lived were very small. No luxury conditions.
Supplies were delivered to them by a cart which was crossing the marshlands from Cava, the nearest village. They were handing over the list of groceries and correspondence to the cart contractor on Fridays and the carter was passing them over to the contractor from Buda Island who was acquiring the goods from the markets in Tortosa. Then he was coming back from Tortosa along the Ebro river, on Mondays, by boat, deliver the goods to the contractor from El Cava village who was taking them to Fangar lighthouse the same day.
In image: The living quarters of Buda island lighthouse
Parking: 40.762029, 0.797454
Starting point of the hiking trail that crosses the desert: 40.7681569, 0.7891843
La Faroleta: 40.790449, 0.768427