Cap Bengut Lighthouse

The Cap Bengut Lighthouse is a landfall lighthouse that signals to sailors the western entrance of the Gulf of Dellys and the proximity of its port.

It seems that before colonization, only a few rudimentary beacons were placed near the shelters that served as refuges for Barbary ships, such as the ordinary beacon located on the high tower of the Penon of Algiers. In the early years of the conquest, more effective lights were installed at the most characteristic points. Thus, in 1834, the French installed in place of the Algiers beacon an apparatus consisting of a fixed light surmounted by a rotating crown carrying 8 lamps with reflectors arranged to create a flashing light every 30 seconds.

The first official report dealing with the lighting of the Algerian coasts is a report from the Nautical Commission of Algeria in 1843, which established a comprehensive report on “improvements to be made to existing lights (nine at the time), lights to be established immediately, and lights to be established later.” Its execution spanned several years, with modifications imposed by technological progress and the development of navigation, with the main ones decided by the Lighthouse Commission in 1861.

The devices were periodically modified between 1860 and 1900. The most notable of these improvements consisted of replacing mineral oil with vegetable oil in 1881, and later, adopting some lights with constant level lamps.

In 1902, a new coastal lighting improvement program was launched with the establishment of a Special Nautical Commission, which adopted a program of achievements including, among other things, the replacement of existing fixed lights with flashing or occulting lights, with or without colored sectors. This program was fully realized from 1904 to 1908, except for the northern jetty of the port of Algiers. The electrification of the main and port lights was actively pursued following the scientific mission in Algeria in 1924 by the Chief Engineer of the Central Lighthouse Service.

Additionally, four radio beacons were put into service: at the Admiralty Lighthouse in Algiers (1931), Cap de l’Aiguille (1938), Cap Caxine (1938), and Cap Matifou (1942). The technical services also planned to establish four additional structures in the near future at Cap Ténès, Cap Bengut, Cap Bougarouni, and Cap de Garde.

The report of the Nautical Commission of 1843, which included the creation of installations, materialized in the installation of a first-order fixed light at Dellys with a range of 25 miles in 1868.

The Cap Bengut Lighthouse, named after its builder, engineer Bengut, was constructed in 1881. Damaged by a bomb attack in 1994 and the violent earthquake that shook Boumerdès in 2003, it ceased all activity and is awaiting rehabilitation to become a museum.

A new lighthouse, seven meters higher, was built nearby and commissioned in September 2010. It is the only lighthouse constructed after the country’s independence in 1962.

The lighthouse was built in the “enchanted gardens” area, the highest point in the region relative to sea level. Also called Bordj Fnar by the locals, it is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. Its architecture is inspired by mosque minarets. It is bordered to the east by the port and the protected area of the ancient Casbah of Dellys and to the west by an old citadel.

It has been replaced by a structure with no great architectural pretension, which presents itself as a cylindrical concrete tower topped by an interior maintenance lantern.

The lighting is provided by a white light with 6 flashes every 20 seconds, with a range of 29 miles, or 54 km.

The lamp has a power of 1,000 W for 220 V.

The Cap Bengut Lighthouse is a landfall lighthouse that signals to sailors the western entrance of the Gulf of Dellys and the proximity of its port.

It seems that before colonization, only a few rudimentary beacons were placed near the shelters that served as refuges for Barbary ships, such as the ordinary beacon located on the high tower of the Penon of Algiers. In the early years of the conquest, more effective lights were installed at the most characteristic points. Thus, in 1834, the French installed in place of the Algiers beacon an apparatus consisting of a fixed light surmounted by a rotating crown carrying 8 lamps with reflectors arranged to create a flashing light every 30 seconds.

The first official report dealing with the lighting of the Algerian coasts is a report from the Nautical Commission of Algeria in 1843, which established a comprehensive report on “improvements to be made to existing lights (nine at the time), lights to be established immediately, and lights to be established later.” Its execution spanned several years, with modifications imposed by technological progress and the development of navigation, with the main ones decided by the Lighthouse Commission in 1861.

The devices were periodically modified between 1860 and 1900. The most notable of these improvements consisted of replacing mineral oil with vegetable oil in 1881, and later, adopting some lights with constant level lamps.

In 1902, a new coastal lighting improvement program was launched with the establishment of a Special Nautical Commission, which adopted a program of achievements including, among other things, the replacement of existing fixed lights with flashing or occulting lights, with or without colored sectors. This program was fully realized from 1904 to 1908, except for the northern jetty of the port of Algiers. The electrification of the main and port lights was actively pursued following the scientific mission in Algeria in 1924 by the Chief Engineer of the Central Lighthouse Service.

Additionally, four radio beacons were put into service: at the Admiralty Lighthouse in Algiers (1931), Cap de l’Aiguille (1938), Cap Caxine (1938), and Cap Matifou (1942). The technical services also planned to establish four additional structures in the near future at Cap Ténès, Cap Bengut, Cap Bougarouni, and Cap de Garde.

The report of the Nautical Commission of 1843, which included the creation of installations, materialized in the installation of a first-order fixed light at Dellys with a range of 25 miles in 1868.

The Cap Bengut Lighthouse, named after its builder, engineer Bengut, was constructed in 1881. Damaged by a bomb attack in 1994 and the violent earthquake that shook Boumerdès in 2003, it ceased all activity and is awaiting rehabilitation to become a museum.

A new lighthouse, seven meters higher, was built nearby and commissioned in September 2010. It is the only lighthouse constructed after the country’s independence in 1962.

The lighthouse was built in the “enchanted gardens” area, the highest point in the region relative to sea level. Also called Bordj Fnar by the locals, it is considered one of the most beautiful in the country. Its architecture is inspired by mosque minarets. It is bordered to the east by the port and the protected area of the ancient Casbah of Dellys and to the west by an old citadel.

It has been replaced by a structure with no great architectural pretension, which presents itself as a cylindrical concrete tower topped by an interior maintenance lantern.

The lighting is provided by a white light with 6 flashes every 20 seconds, with a range of 29 miles, or 54 km.

The lamp has a power of 1,000 W for 220 V.