Located in Portugal's Madeira Islands at its westernmost point, Ponta do Pargo Lighthouse is a remarkable feat of engineering. Standing 45 feet tall, it boasts one of the highest focal planes in the world at 1,040 feet above sea level. Since its construction in 1922, the lighthouse has protected ships from striking the sheer cliffs and subsea perils of the region. For these reasons, visitors can see the lighthouse from an astonishing 26 a nautical miles away.