User:Slakr/Sandbox/Phare des Pierres Noires

The Pierres Noires Lighthouse (Phare des Pierres Noires) is a marine lighthouse situated off the coast of Le Conquet, France that was built during the Second Empire between 1867 and 1871 and has been in operation since May 1, 1872. It was officially listed as a historic monument on December 31, 2015.



Construction
While construction was approved July 2, 1862, and ministerial approval for it was granted two years later on May 3, 1865, the first actual attempt to build it began in 1866. However, due to the characteristics of the site, this first attempt was abandoned as construction of a base at that location proved too infeasible. Those undertaking the second attempt a year later eventually settled on a larger site. Composed of granite culled from two different locations, the resulting structure was proportionately double in sturdiness for its height, and, at least according to the Iroise Marine Natural Park, was more akin to a medieval castle's strength than that of any other lighthouse of the era.

At the time, its construction was estimated to cost 325,000 gold francs, but due several factors, including the failed first attempt as well as a general increase in dimensions and materials over what was originally planned, construction cost eventually ballooned to 345,000 gold francs.

Operation
First lit on May 1, 1872, Pierres Noires had human guards that would live within it, a practice common to lighthouses during the era. The guards were responsible for ensuring the reliability of the light and maintenance of its fuel source, which burned mineral oil in 1872, switched to oil steam in 1903, and was eventually converted to electricity in 1984.

This job was not without risks, as prior it its automation in 1992, the treacherous waters surrounding the lighthouse claimed the life of one of its guards, who was unfortunate enough to fall into them on September 18, 1965. Despite the other guard realizing what had happened, seeing his subordinate in the water, and attempting to rescue him, the struggling guard eventually disappeared from sight. An eventual helicopter-based search-and-rescue operation was called off several hours later.

Despite the lighthouse's intent to warn ships of danger, within only its first three years of operation, two ships, the "Queen of Colonies" and the "Ville de Bilbao," were nonetheless lost on the surrounding reef. As both incidents occurred during foggy conditions, they later prompted the Council of Finistère to authorize the installation of fog horns. To further increase safety, the following decade would also see calls to paint the lighthouse for increased visibility. This was resisted at first by the original engineers, as they believed it would mar their design. However, pressure from the Navy in 1910 finally caused it to receive its present-day red-and-white scheme with "Pierres Noires" prominently labelled.