[1] Before the 19th century access to the city of Porto via the Douro River frequently presented problems, leading to several shipwrecks, because of the silting of the bar.

In 1955 it was fitted with a 2nd order lens with a red light, emitting a flash every five seconds and achieving a range of 9 nautical miles.

However, given its historical importance to both the city of Porto and the Portuguese Navy, which manages the country's lighthouses, it was decided to make it operational again and it was re-opened on 13 December 2021.

[4][3] In 2024, the band Khruangbin released a song named after the lighthouse in their album A La Sala.

It has a red balcony and lantern, and a small annex building with plastered walls painted white.