Lighthouses – coastal treasures

Lighthouses are among the most treasured coastal landmarks. The first historical records of them date back to 400 BC, when they marked the entrance to ports. In the course of time, their function and structure changed. They became a warning signal against shipping hazards. The number of lighthouses is now estimated at more than 18,000. They differ in shape and light characteristic. The light colour, frequency and pattern are specific to a lighthouse. In the old

days, they had to be tended and cared for by a lighthouse keeper, today many of them are automated. Yet, they still make each coast they are located on look picturesque, with a little bit of mystery.

Tokarevsky Lighthouse, Vladivostok, Russia

One of the oldest and most recognisable lighthouses in the Far East. It was built on a rocky Tokarevsky Spit, a man-made island 796 meters in length. In 1876, a beacon light started to warn passing ships of shoals and more than thirty years later, a lighthouse was erected there. It is said to be a symbolic place where the Pacific Ocean begins and where the sun rises first on Earth with each new day.

Leander’s Tower, 200 meters from Istanbul, Turkey

One of the smallest and yet most recognisable monuments located in Üsküdar, a district of Istanbul. A legend has it that an emperor’s daughter was kept there, hence the name Maiden’s Tower (Turkish: Kız Kulesi). Its history goes back to 408 BC, when Alcibiades, an Athenian general, had it built on a small islet on the Bosporus. Today, it houses a cafe and a restaurant as well as the Bosporus traffic control station and can be reached by ferry departing, for example, from Ortaköy port.

Sõrve Lighthouse, Estonia

Built in 1960 on tip of Sõrve, the south-eastern coast of Saaremaa island, with a height of 52 meters it is one of the highest lighthouses in Estonia, distinguished for its simplicity, elongated form and ornamentation. The lighthouse is open to visitors from 1 May to 15 September, seven days a week. It is worth visiting to feast your eyes on a beautiful view of the nature around.

Tourlitis Lighthouse, Andros, Greece

A one-of-a-kind lighthouse in Europe. Built in 1897 on a rock, 200 meters from the coast of Andros island, it brings to mind a fairytale wizard’s tower, with the steps carved out of the rock and a unique shape of the rock itself formed by thousands of years of exposure to sea water, sun and wind. The lighthouse was destroyed during World War II, to be restored to its original condition in 1994.

Punta Palau Lighthouse, Italy

An operating lighthouse located on the northern extremity of a granite promontory of Sardinia. Built in 1960 in place of the first one erected in 1935, it is fully automated. Every 10 seconds, two green flashes visible from a distance of 4 nautical miles (7.4 km) are emitted. The lighthouse is situated to the north-west of the symbol of Palau town, the Bear Rock (Italian: Roccia dell’Orso), nearly 300 million-year-old natural granite sculpture of a bear. Sailors are said to have been scared of it, believing it attracted ships like a great magnet.

Stawa Młyny Beacon, Poland

Located at the entrance to Świnoujście port, where the Strait of Świna joins the Baltic Sea. The beacon, in the shape of a windmill, was built in the years 1873-1874 as part of the navigation system modernisation. Because of its characteristic shape and finishing, it can be seen in the official logo of the city of Świnoujście. There is a legend associated with it. It tells of an old miller who made mariners returning from long sea voyages look young again. He did not disclose the secret of rejuvenation treatments given to them to anyone, taking it to the grave. The windmill machinery he tended stopped working on his death as well. Yet, people looking for ways to retain a youthful appearance kept on coming to the place and they still do, to soak in mud, swim and walk.