Lighthouses play a fundamental role in maritime navigation safety. Located at strategic points, they help vessels navigate at night and in conditions of reduced visibility, contributing to the protection of human lives and property.

Due to its geographical location in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Cabo Verde has maritime routes that have always been of great importance to the country´s economic and social development. In this context, lighthouses serve as important reference points for fishing vessels, commercial ships, and other maritime traffic.

According to the Maritime and Port Institute (IMP), Cabo Verde has 72 lighthouses and light beacons distributed along its coastline.

Among the best known are the Fontes Pereira de Melo Lighthouse, also known as the Boi Lighthouse, a name derived from its proximity to the islet of the same name near the village of Janela (Santo Antão); the Morro Negro Lighthouse on the eastern coast of Boa Vista; the D. Amélia Lighthouse in São Pedro (São Vicente); the D. Maria Pia Lighthouse at Ponta Temerosa, Praia (Santiago); the Ponta do Barril Lighthouse in Tarrafal (São Nicolau); the Ponta Jalunga Lighthouse on the northern coast of Brava; the D. Luís Lighthouse on Ilhéu dos Pássaros (São Vicente); and the Ponta Preta Lighthouse in Tarrafal (Santiago). These lighthouses were featured on postage stamps issued in 1994 and 2004.

Lighthouses are navigational aids consisting of medium- or long-range light signals, usually installed at strategic locations along coastlines, on islands, reefs, or at harbour entrances. They help identify the position of the coast, mark port approaches, warn of navigational hazards such as shoals, rocks, and reefs, and provide visual references for mariners.

Light beacons, in turn, are smaller navigational lights with a shorter range. They are generally installed at the ends of jetties and breakwaters, on piers, lighted buoys, and along navigable channels. Their primary function is local marking and guidance, indicating alignments, harbour entrances, and safety limits.

In addition to their operational importance, these structures represent an important part of the country´s historical and cultural heritage. Many Cape Verdean lighthouses are also tourist attractions, offering spectacular ocean views and bearing witness to the rich maritime tradition of the archipelago.

Lighthouses are guiding lights with an important mission: to help navigators find a safe course at sea.

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