The Porer lighthouse
(Faro del Promontore), also known as Premantura, was built in 1833 on an islet of the same name,
southwest of Istria's southernmost cape of Kamenjak, a protected nature
park (where there are 530 specious of flora, of which 20 are orchids,
besides one endemic orchid, there are two more endemic plants and
several other plants that are endangered on the cape).
Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 31m
(102 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower, centered on a 1-story keeper's
house. The lighthouse is unpainted cream-colored stone; the lantern is
white with a gray metallic roof. This lighthouse marks the southern tip
of the Istrian Peninsula. Although it is located on a tiny scrap of
land, it has two apartments available for vacation rental. Plovput
provides boat transportation for guests from Pula, but only in the
morning; it's difficult to land at the lighthouse during the west winds
that usually blow in the afternoon. Located on an islet about 2.5 km
southwest of Rt Kamenjak, the tip of the peninsula, and about 10 km (6
mi) south of Pula. Google has a fine satellite view. Accessible only by
boat. Site and tower closed except to paying guests. ARLHS CRO-014;
Admiralty E2738; NGA 12040.
The
islet of Porer is an 80 m cliff, 2.5 km from the mainland and the place
of Premantura. This bleak rock eroded by the sea stands out, and
the tall stone tower was built on it as if by some miracle. The islet is
so small that it takes just over a minute to walk around it,
nevertheless, the walk is magnificent due to the sunsets on Porer that
are considered to be the most beautiful on the Adriatic.
How did the builders succeed in building the lighthouse on Porer in
spite of the turbulent sea surrounding the islet? There are many ancient
artifacts hidden in the sandy seabed that surrounds Porer. Numerous
boats that sank due to tempests can be found in the shallow waters in
the vicinity of Krsin, Fenoliga and Veliki Balkun (on the islet of
Fenoliga dinosaur tracks can be found).
There are many beautiful bays and islets in the vicinity of Porer, and
the islet itself is characterized by the richness of fish species in its
undersea and by its isolation from cilivization. It is situated 1 n.m.
to the southwest from the southernmost cape of the Istrian peninsula. It
is a circular shaped and bare cliff 80 meters wide, situated 1.5 n.m.
from land and the Premantura Bay or 2.5 km. It is possible to reach this
bay by a road from Pula (20 kilometers).
There are three wharfs on the island. The 35 m
lighthouse tower is central with regards to the rest of the stone
building. The islet itself has three smaller berths. The stone
edifice is a single-story building with a concrete courtyard. It has
been converted to two four-bed apartments, but is not recommended for
children due to its strong currents. Food provisioning can be arranged
with the housekeeper, using his boat. Travel by boat from Premantura
takes about 15 minutes.
Legends
The ancient legends linked
to this rock have been covered by layers of sand from which sometimes an
amphora or some other trace of long forgotten tragedies are revealed by
the currents. No one knows how many ships, Liburnian and Roman, Croatian
and Venetian, have found their eternal anchorage in the surrounding
shallows of Krsine, Fenoglia and Veliki balkun.
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