The Republic of Cuba includes the largest island of the West Indies, also called Cuba, located at the northwest corner of the Caribbean Sea across the Florida Strait from the United States. Cuba was a Spanish colony until it was conquered by U.S. forces during the Spanish-American War of 1898. The U.S. occupation ended officially in 1902. Nineteenth century Cuban lighthouses therefore have Spanish designs. At least two surviving lighthouses, Cayo Jutías and Punta de los Colorados, were built under the U.S. occupation. Cuba is divided into 15 provinces and one special municipality (Isla de la Juventud). This page includes lighthouses of the western half of the island, from Villa Clara and Cienfuegos Provinces westward. There's another page for Eastern Cuba. Due to longstanding political difficulties between Cuba and the U.S. American tourists had practically no access to these lighthouses for more than 50 years. This is changing now that the two countries have resumed contacts, but it is still true that most of the information available on the Internet has been posted by European or Canadian visitors or by Cuban tourist agencies. Aids to navigation in Cuba are regulated by the Oficina Nacional Hidrografia y Geodesia and maintained by the Ayuda a la Navegación division of Grupo Empresarial Geocuba. Many Cuban lighthouses are not automated and keepers are on site at most locations. Some of the stations are staffed by civilian keepers but some are tightly restricted military posts. In general the information on the Internet indicates that the major lighthouses, at least, are well maintained. More information is needed on these lighthouses. If you have information or photos you are willing to share, please contact me. In Spanish the word for a lighthouse is faro, baliza is a beacon, isla is an island, cabo is a cape, punta is a promontory or point of land, péñon is a rock, arrecife is a reef, bahía is a bay, ría is an estuary or inlet, estrecho is a strait, río is a river, and puerto is a port or harbor. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. CU numbers are from the Cuban light list; it is not available online but many numbers appear in the Admiralty's Notice to Mariners of 2012 Week 45. Admiralty numbers are from Volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.
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![]() Carapachibey Light, Isla de al Juventud, ca. 2010 Creative Commons photo from isladelajuventud-cuba.com |
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![]() Río Jaruco Light, Santa Cruz del Norte, November 2017 photo copyright Wilfried Kalinowski; used by permission |
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![]() Cayo Bahía de Cádiz Light, Villa Clara, January 2017 Google Maps photo by CEOSGOL (César O. Gómez López) |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Florida Keys | East: Eastern Cuba | South: Cayman Islands
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted 2003. Checked and revised December 16, 2024. Lighthouses: 40. Site copyright 2024. Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.