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 eastern half of the island from Sancti Spiritus Province eastward. There's another page for Western Cuba. On the north the Old Bahama Channel separates eastern Cuba from the Bahamas and on the east the Windward Passage separates Cuba from Haiti. The southern coast faces the open Caribbean Sea. 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. 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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![]() Caimán Grande de Santa Maria Light, Sancti Spíritus, May 2004 photo copyright David Allester; used by permission |
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![]() Cayo Paredon Grande Light, Ciego de Ávila, November 2017 photo copyright Wilfried Kalinowski; used by permission |
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![]() Faro de Colón (Punta Maternillos Light), Nuevitas, October 2011 Televisión Camagüey photo by Orestes G. Casanova |
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![]() Aserradero Light, Santiago de Cuba, November 2017 photo copyright Wilfried Kalinowski; used by permission |
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![]() Cayo Blanco de Zaza Light, Tunas photo copyright Reynaldo Rodriguez courtesy of ILLW |
Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Bahamas | East: Haiti | South: Jamaica | West: Western Cuba
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted 2003. Checked and revised December 24, 2024. Lighthouses: 38. Site copyright 2024. Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.