Reuben Point Light, Mozambique

Reuben Point, more properly called Ponta Vermelha, is a headland overlooking the harbor of Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique. Maputo, called Lourenço Marques under Portuguese rule, is at the extreme southern end of the country, not far from the South African border. Its fine harbor served British and Dutch settlers in Natal, the northeasternmost state of South Africa, and it must have been the British who named the bluff Reuben Point.

A light was raised on an iron tripod on Reuben Point in 1877, and in 1892 it was replaced by the short stone lighthouse seen on the left. Despite its short stature, this light had a focal plane of 42 meters (138 ft). Sometime after 1904 the height of the tower was more than doubled, as seen in the postcard image on the right. However, the light is not included on the 1920 light list.

Today Ponta Vermelha is the location of Mozambique's Presidential Palace. As far as we know, there is no trace of the lighthouse.


postcard from the collection of Michel Forand


postcard from the collection of Michel Forand

 

Posted June 2005. Images in this section are believed to be in the public domain. The Lighthouse Directory site is copyright 2005 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

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