Cape Melville Lighthouse

The Cape Melville Lighthouse is a historic lighthouse located in the island of Balabac, the southernmost point of the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is also the southwest corner of the archipelago. The first-order light was constructed by the Spaniards to light Balabac Strait, the treacherous body of water that separates the Philippines from the neighboring country of Malaysia, and was first lit in 1892.

Construction The light is displayed from a tall granite tower, located on a hill northwestward of the tip of Cape Melville, for a total elevation of above sea level. The station was built by the Spanish Government as part of their extensive lighting plan for the archipelago. Construction started in 1818, however there were numerous delays, meaning the lighthouse of Cape Melville wasn't lit until August 30, 1892.Por Algunos Padres de la Mision de la Compañia de Jesus en Estas Islas, "El Archipiélago Filipino, Collecion de Datos", pg.527. Washington Imprenta del Gobierno, 1900.

Current condition The Spanish lighthouse is no longer in service and a white aluminum prefabricated tower with modern solar-powered light was erected near the grounds of the old tower by the Philippine Coast Guard, who maintain all lighthouses in the Philippines. Because the station is still manned, the original lights and lenses are still intact except for a central glass pane which was stolen by vandals. The tower still retains its original clockwork but is inoperative.Noche, Manuel Maximo Lopez del Castillo. "Lonely Sentinels of the Sea: The Spanish Lighthouses in the Philippines". España, Manila: UST Pub. House, 2005.

National Historical Landmark The lighthouse (or Minarit) located at Barangay Melville in Balabac Island, Palawan was declared as a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines."Parola ng Cape Melville" . National Registry of Historic Sites and Structures of the Philippines. Retrieved on April 28, 2013.

Cape Melville Lighthouse

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