Like a giant emerging from the bottom of the sea, El Cerro Creston (Creston Hill), once an island and for many centuries part of the Mazatlan landscape, is an icon the beautifies the Mexican Pacific coastline.

The lighthouse was built in Paris, France and began operation in 1879.  It was originally made up of a large oil lamp with reflecting mirrors to augment the light.  Its light was frequently mistaken for a star since it was static, but in 1905 a revolving system was introduced.

The lighthouse building was built in the Porfirio Diaz days and the then island was connected to the mainland via a long, functional breakwater.  The lighthouse is 157 meters above sea level and is visible for 48 nautical miles, making it a permanent fixture on the distant horizon for boats way out at sea.  El Cerro Creston upon which it perches is 75% surrounded by water.

The lighthouse is located at the extreme southwest of the city.  It has a longitude of 770 meters and maximum amplitude of 800 meters.  It is one of the highest natural lighthouses in the world.  Today its 157 meters of height are only surpassed by 4 lighthouses on the Atlantic Ocean: Lover’s Leap in Jamaica (487 meters), 2 in Trinidad and Tobago- Chaca Chancare (251) and Brigade Hill (217)-and one in San Vincente Island (222).

On the other hand (and after many long discussions and research), the Mazatlan lighthouse with its 157 meters is considered the highest NATURAL lighthouse in the world, replacing the mighty Rock of Gibraltar (425) which is no longer in service.

Among other things, this maritime signal is of great importance and use because it greatly helps sailors determine their exact position and corroborate their maritime charts precisely.

Experts on these types of constructions consider it a “deep” lighthouse which means its main function is to orient ships at sea with a deep or heavy draw.  Since it is constructed upon a rocky island, it is considered a natural lighthouse and in this sense it is the largest in the Americas.

Regarding its flora, El Cerro de Creston has 33 different species of trees and plants.  There are 19 different species of animals including boa snakes, black iguanas, green iguanas, chameleons, hummingbirds, bats, owls and more.

An old sailor’s legend says that Creston Island was the hideout of the most feared pirate of the seas, the English buccaneer Henry Morgan.  He was born in Wales in 1635 and died in Jamaica in 1688.  As he passed through these waters, they say, he discovered a narrow but deep cave in the middle of the island where he used to hide his treasures that he robbed from the Spanish galleons and they named it “Pirate Morgan’s Cave”.  Mazatlan may have served him as a place for rest and leisure.

This cave, which was formed by constant erosion by the waves, is part of the outings you can take by boat, but entrance to the cave is prohibited because there was an accident there.

Surely because of all this, the reader would like to climb to the top of the lighthouse.  It is great exercise and the view of the entire city below will reward your effort.