This lighthouse is above the Caves of Hercules, near the northernmost point of Morocco, approximately 15 km west of the Port of Tangier. It is here that the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. It was built by Sultan Mohammed IV (r. 1859-1873/1275-1289 AH) in 1864. Approximately a year after construction, the Sultan agreed to transfer responsibility for operating and maintaining the lighthouse to European powers, in accordance with the terms of an agreement signed by Morocco, Austria, Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United States on May 31, 1865. It returned to Moroccan control after independence.
The lighthouse is composed of 24 m (79 ft) square masonry tower with castellated gallery, lantern, and 1st order Fresnel lens." A two-storey keeper's house is attached.
SOURCES:
"Lighthouses of Morocco: Atlantic Coast." The Lighthouse Directory. Accessed September 21, 2015. https://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/mar.htm.
"Cape Spartel Lighthouse - May 31, 1865." The Avalon Project. Accessed September 21, 2015. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/19th_century/usmu009.asp.
24 m. high
