Inaugurated on 18 November 1872, the Olinda Lighthouse is the second oldest in Pernambuco. At that time, situated in the Fort of São Francisco de Olinda, it had a forged iron tower, measured 12.5 metres in height, and its light was visible for 12 nautical miles.

Because of this, there was a great need for a lighthouse. So the Preguiças [Sloth] lighthouse was built in the village of Mandacaru (MA), located 24 miles (one nautical mile = 1852 metres) north of the port of Tutóia, in a place where the reef extended to up to three miles from the coast.

It is known that around the Rocas atoll are remnants of 18 past shipwrecks. So from 1852, there were numerous demands for nautical signalling of the atoll.

The inauguration of the first lighthouse, which was built at the mouth of the Pará River, was in March 1852. It was a cement tower, covered with glazed white brick and measured 12.5 metres in height.

In 1602, on Morro do Padrão at the entrance of the Bay of All Saints in Bahia, the Santo Antônio Lighthouse was built. At first, it was a limestone and stone fortress to defend the city of Salvador.