The Saint Mathieu Lighthouse, located at Pointe Saint-Mathieu in Plougonvelin, Finistère, near Brest, is a monument historique. It serves as a major lighthouse of the French coast, signaling the direction of the Chenal du Four and the entrance to the Goulet de Brest.
Its history stretches back to its first light, proposed in 1691. Built in 1835 atop the remnants of Abbaye Saint-Mathieu de Fine-Terre, the structure was part of a site that hosted an abbey, a semaphore, and a lighthouse. In its early history, the light was not regularly lit due to the high cost of fuel. In 1750, a gale destroyed the lantern, and a Navy steward bolstered the building with a metal frame, at which time the light could be seen from a distance of two leagues.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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