The Barra lighthouse Project began in 1885 by the engineer Paulo Benjamim Cabral and ended in 1893 by engineer Maria de Melo Mattos, who carried out major restorations in 1929.
The lighthouse is located on Praia da Barra, which is one of the most frequented beaches annually and is constantly visited by thousands of tourists visiting the city of Aveiro. The stairs now have 288 steps in the shape of a snail. We are facing one of the best coastal landscapes that we can find in the country. At the time of its construction, it was the sixth largest lighthouse in the world, in stone masonry, and is currently the second largest in Europe, being considered the 26th tallest in the world.
The Barra lighthouse has a cylindrical tower with 62 meters high and at the end of it is the main component, the lamp that projects a light beam visible from 23 nautical miles away (about 40 km).
It is really worth visiting this unique and special monument in Aveiro and you can enjoy Barra beach which is right next to the lighthouse.
