After the Cabo Corrientes Lighthouse received several improvement works, the Jalisco Ministry of Culture added to the inventory of State Cultural Heritage this structure that today is a very identifying element to the Costa Sur region.
The lighthouse is an eclectic-type building whose construction began in 1901 concluding in 1902, built with the appropriation from the then President of Mexico, Porfirio Díaz. It is perched on a bluff overlooking the Pacific coastline in the town of Corrales, Cabo Corrientes, and marks the southernmost point of the Bay of Banderas.
The request for El Faro de Cabo to be part of this important list was made in 2020 by the municipality, headed by the president of Cabo Corrientes, Prisciliano Ramírez Gordián.
The incorporation of this property classified as ‘of Relevant Artistic Value,’ as recorded in the State Inventory of Cultural Heritage of the State of Jalisco in its publication of November 19, 2020, was due to the construction system, the structure of the lighthouse, and the design consistent of the Porfirian era. In other words, its eclectic architectural characteristics make it special, and it is highly recognized by the local population, tourists, and lighthouse aficionados.
The structure of the tower corresponds to a pyramidal trunk, and is 18 meters in height. At the base is a conventional rectangular construction, originally used for maintenance, storage, and residential quarters.
The light itself is about 93 meters above sea level. The original incandescence system was oil vapor, having a luminous range of 61 miles and a geographic range of 24.4 miles. The lantern was manufactured in 1875 in England, and was later transferred to Cabo Falso in Baja California Sur, and is now the oldest in the country that is still in service. Currently it has a modern lantern with a 1,500-watt bulb having a luminous range of 40 nautical miles.
In addition to having relevant architectural characteristics corresponding to the eclectic style, the quality of the finishes and design, El Faro de Cabo Corrientes is part of the identity of the municipality. It has roots in the collective imagination, and is recognized as a symbol of sovereignty, peace, custody of the coasts, and a guide for nautical navigators.
Therefore, Cultura Jalisco reported the presence in this work of the following criteria that identify it as Cultural Heritage of the State: Representativeness, uniqueness, authenticity of design and materials, presence of symbolism, historical and aesthetic values, as well as collective appropriation.
Due to the poor state of conservation of the lighthouse over the years, it was intervened for its rescue. Said restoration works were carried out by the municipality before requesting its registration in the inventory.
