This lighthouse, inaugurated on the night of 16 November 1913, was built at the initiative of the Girona Society for the Rescue of Shipwrecked Persons, established in 1891.
It stands on the northern slope of the Cap de Creus peninsula, one mile northwest of the Port de la Selva port of refuge, on a small esplanade at the end of s'Arnella point, 22 metres above sea level.
This expansive coastal area acts as a barrier from the sea and the wind, as it is positioned windward of the two prevailing winds in the region: the Tramuntana (northerly) and Mestral (northwesterly) winds, as well as the Llevant (easterly) wind, which can be particularly hazardous along this coastline. When these winds blow strongly, navigating in this area becomes challenging, especially for vessels approaching from the north that require a visual or luminous guide to safely avoid the cliffs.
The architectural design of the lighthouse, which consists of a house and a square tower topped with a dome, served as a model for the construction of other mid-20th-century lighthouses during the second programme to improve the Spanish coastal lighthouse system. The original building inspired the future construction of the Tossa lighthouse, which was built two years later.
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