Famous Lighthouses - Oakville

Discuss & Recall

                                    Famous Lighthouses
Lighthouses light up the night to protect those at sea and guide them safely to shore. Although
lighthouses are technically a purely utilitarian building, there is still something special about them
that inspires. In this activity, you will learn about 10 unique and beautiful lighthouses that will
capture your imagination. There are pictures of each lighthouse, discussion starters, a deeper dive
into some terminology, and a break in the middle with a fun trivia pop quiz.
Props & Preparations
  • This is a copy of the complete activity.
  • Use the Discussion Starters to spark a conversation about
      each section.
  • Print or project the corresponding images of the lighthouses as
      you read about them. The discussion questions will reference
      descriptions of the different lighthouses. There are also links
      throughout for a deeper dive into more technical or historical notes
      in case your group is interested in learning more about specifics.         Chania Lighthouse

  • Use the additional activities at the end to enhance the activity.

                                      Famous Lighthouses
Introduction
Lighthouses act as a hopeful beacon of light to sailors looking for land under night skies. You can
find these statuesque buildings at the entrances to stunning bays and harbors, welcoming those
who have been at sea back to land. However, as navigational technology improves, we see fewer
and fewer lighthouses as their beckoning light is needed less and less by modern-day sailors.
There are still a number of lighthouses so breathtaking that whether or not they are functional,
visitors find beauty in the architecture. Designed to be highly visible, lighthouses look striking
against the rugged coastlines and wild seas they guard.
1. Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse (lay é·klé·reur)
Built in 1920 at the southern tip of Argentina, this red and white tower is a romantic’s dream,
bearing the nickname of “The Lighthouse at the End of the World.” Set in the center of the Beagle
Channel on a small, rocky island, its graceful beauty is enhanced by the majestic mountains that
surround it.
The brick tower guards the sea entrance to Ushuaia (oo-SWY-uh), the most southernmost city of
Argentina, and is a popular place for photographers and tourists alike to snap the perfect picture.
The building rises to 36 feet high (11 meters) and 10 feet (3 meters) wide at the base, with no
windows and only a single door for access. The lighthouse is no longer manned or open to the
public but instead operates in an automated fashion, using solar panels for power.

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Discussion Starter
This lighthouse is on a small island where the ocean meets a channel. How would you feel about
living on such a small island, living alone, and manning such a lighthouse?
2. Galle Lighthouse (gar-le)
Sri Lanka (SREE LAN kuh) is home to the ancient Galle Fort, which houses the blinding white
tower that is the Galle Lighthouse. Tucked away on the magnificent south coast of Sri Lanka, it
sits at the entrance of the Galle Harbor, surrounded by majestic palm trees. It is one of the most
photographed areas in Galle.
The tower itself has evolved since its inception. In the late 1650s, a Dutch minister, Philippus
Baldaeus, in keeping his records and observations of the area, wrote that there was “an iron
cannon placed on the ramparts and a lantern to guide the sailors,” set up on a rock jutting out to
the sea.
It wasn’t until 1848 that the first actual lighthouse was built, however. As the fight for independence
began to move through the country, the British colonists built the 80-foot-tall (24-meter) tower from
cast iron plates imported from England. The whitewashed structure served as a beacon until July 1936,
when it was destroyed by a fire.
In 1939, a new lighthouse was completed, this time rising to 87 feet (26.5 meters) of white
concrete. It was originally lit by a glass prism lens, which floated in a bath of mercury.
Discussion Starter
When looking at pictures of this lighthouse, you might think it could be a resort, with its clear blue
waters and calm breeze. If you were to visit a lighthouse, would you prefer it to be on a dramatic
cliff or in a serene place such as the Galle Lighthouse? Why?
3. Makapu`u Point Lighthouse
Makapu`u (Ma ka poo oo) is the supernatural being at the center of a Hawaiian legend. She came
from Tahiti to live in the place that today bears her name. She was best-known for her eight sets
of bright eyes, which made her a natural inspiration for the construction of a lighthouse. The story
about the origin of this lighthouse is more dramatic and interesting than many of the others on the list.
At first, a large group of sea captains and ship owners recognized the dangers in the seas near
Makapu`u and came together in 1888 to petition the Hawaiian government to build a lighthouse
there. When the American ship S.N. Castle was wrecked in the area, many felt that a lighthouse
would have prevented the incident.
By 1901, plans were in motion for the build, but when the government was informed that the colonial
U.S. government would be taking responsibility for all “navigational aids,” the work was paused.
Ship owners did not stop their pursuit of a build, however, and in January 1906, the 59th Congress
was presented with a report outlining the need.
The report showed that every single vessel from areas such as the Puget Sound, San Francisco,
and Panama that were on their way to Honolulu had to pass through Makapu`u Point. The jagged
rocks would be the first land after thousands of miles of endless sea, but with no light to guide
ships at night, there would be no warning that they were near land. One had to hope to know
enough to slow down and wait for dawn to proceed, but storms and bad weather could make ships
think they were much farther away than they actually were.
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Finally, in June of 1906, Congress greenlit the construction of a $60,000 lighthouse only two months
before a passenger ship, the Manchuria, ran aground at the point. Luckily, there were no fatalities
and the cargo was brought ashore, but the ship was stuck for a month before it could finally be
towed back into the sea for repair in Honolulu. The building of the lighthouse was bittersweet to the
owners of the Manchuria—they had signed the original petition in 1888.

West Point graduate John R. Slattery was selected to create plans for the lighthouse. The first task
was to select a location for the structure. His final two candidates were Makapu`u Point and Rabbit
Island, which were close to each other. In the end, despite worry that the highest point of the area
was only 647 feet (197 meters) above sea level, making the light less visible in stormy weather, he
chose Makapu`u Point. In the end, a height of 46 feet (14 meters) was carefully selected to keep it
visible but also short enough to keep the wind from throwing up rocks to break the windows.

The lighthouse is unique in that parts of it are composed of lava flows. There are three keepers’
dwellings at the station, each built from blue lava rock in a depression near the summit. A trail
connecting the lighthouse and homes, and a road connecting the station to the highway are both
carved into the lava.

Sitting stoutly and proudly on the eastern tip of Oahu, the Makapu`u Point Lighthouse overlooks
the bright blue waters of the Pacific Ocean, making for a most striking sight. Since the day it was
opened in 1906, it has been a welcoming light for ships and a beautiful place to view the lava cliffs.

In 2001, the state of Hawaii paid to take over a large section of land around the lighthouse in order
to keep the coastline free from development and to preserve the spectacular view for all who come
to visit their shores.

Discussion Starters

  • This lighthouse is named after a famous mythological entity. What are your thoughts of
      naming buildings or landmarks after local myths or legends? What do you know about the
      myth of Makapu`u?

  • The builders of the Makapu`u Point Lighthouse utilized the natural elements of the area,
      even lava, when constructing the tower. What do you think about the integration of nature
      and architecture?

  • What are your thoughts about if tax monies should be used to conserve natural areas or
      historic structures?

4. Lindesnes Lighthouse

First rising to great heights in 1656, the Lindesnes (lin des nes) Lighthouse in Norway marks the
entrance to the Skagerrak (skag uh rak) strait and the Baltic Sea from the North Sea. Across the
centuries, new buildings have been built to replace older lighthouses, and each time the lights have
been upgraded to the most current technology. In 1822, the lighthouse boasted a coal lamp, but by
1854, a Fresnel lens (see below) was being used. In 1915, the most modern version was constructed,
and in 1920, the addition of a fog siren made the lighthouse even more of a savior for ships.

For a short time during World War II, the area was occupied by the German army. Seeing the value
of the lighthouse as a lookout point, a small fortress was built around the area. Trenches, tunnels,
and other remnants of the war can still be seen in the area.

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The lighthouse was finally electrified in the 1950s, and while new technology made the original
fog siren obsolete, it was kept and maintained, and is used on special occasions. The beauty of
the white tower against rugged rocks and wild waters makes this another lighthouse that boasts a
dream view.

Quick Look: Fresnel Lens

It is a type of composite compact lens developed by the French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel
(1788–1827) for use in lighthouses.

  • It has been called “the invention that saved a million ships.”
  • Fresnel designed six sizes of lighthouse lenses.
  • The lenses are also used for:
        • simple hand-held magnifiers or TV-screen enlargers.
        • correcting several visual disorders.
        • traffic lights.
5. Cape Espichel Lighthouse

The history of the Cape Espichel (es PIEL kel) Lighthouse, found at the end of the Setubal
Peninsula in Portugal, begins in 1430. In that year, monks on a hermitage built a beacon on the
point. However, the beacon was nothing more than a small fire, and was not bright enough to
impress sailors, as the area was known as the “black coast” because of the darkness and no
formal lighting system.

It was not until 1755, when an earthquake was the impetus for many types of reforms, that the
Marquis of Pombal organized a Lighthouse Service in 1758 and ordered six lighthouses to be built.
In this decree, Cape Espichel received its own lighthouse, built in 1790. The three-story, 105-foot-tall
(32-meter), hexagonal tower was built close to the already existing sanctuary. It is an imposing
white tower with a large rectangular base, highlighted with red roofs.

Today, the wild coastline that terrified many sailors for hundreds of years is more welcoming,
thanks to this stunning building and its fantastical architecture, which looks even more dramatic
when placed against the untamed seas that surround it.

Discussion Starters

  • Looking at the pictures of the coastline that is guarded by the lighthouse, imagine trying to
      maneuver treacherous seas without any light to guide you. What would that feel like?

  • The lighthouse is set farther away from the coast than other lighthouses. What are your
      thoughts on why that might be?

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Pop Quiz

 1. What is a pharologist?

      Answer: Someone who studies or is enthused by lighthouses

 2. Before lighthouses, what did mariners rely on to guide them?

      Answer: Volcanoes and bonfires

 3. The first official lighthouse was built in what country in 280 BC?

      Answer: Egypt. The Pharos (Lighthouse) of Alexandria was 450 feet (137 meters) tall with an
      open fire on the top of it. After 1,500 years of standing tall, it was toppled by an earthquake in
      the 14th century. This lighthouse is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

 4. What area of the U.S. had no lighthouses until the mid-1800s?

      Answer: California. Before the Gold Rush made California a bustling destination, mariners
      could only hope that there would be a light in a window or a lantern hung for them.

 5. What infamous prison was originally a lighthouse?

      Answer: Alcatraz. The island originally housed the first lighthouse built on the California
      coast, but in 1909 it was turned into a prison.

6. Tower of Hercules

Another lighthouse with a fascinating and fantastical story behind it is the Tower of Hercules. In
northwestern Spain, the 180-foot-tall (55-meter) square structure boasts more than just beauty—it
is the oldest extant lighthouse in the world.

While today it is called the Tower of Hercules, the lighthouse was known as the Farum Brigantium,
which can be roughly translated to “Lighthouse of Brigantia.” Built in the first century and then
renovated in 1791, the lighthouse overlooks the sparkling North Atlantic coast. While most of the
lighthouse you can see today is new, the base still has one preserved original cornerstone that has
a Latin inscription carved into it.

These words tell us a few things about the original structure. One, we know that the tower was
created by architect Gaius Sevius Lupus as an offering to Mars, the Roman god of war. Originally,
the tower was much shorter and wider; we know this because the core of the current tower is from
the original building. It is guessed that the tower was mounted with a dome, as was the style of the
time. Due to its age and style, the original lighthouse was most likely modeled after the Lighthouse
of Alexandria.

In addition to watching over Spain’s coastline for centuries, the building and its name are also
steeped in mythology. One story says:

Hercules slew the giant tyrant Geryon after three days and three nights of continuous battle.
Hercules then—in a Celtic gesture—buried the head of Geryon with his weapons and ordered that
a city be built on the site. The lighthouse atop a skull and crossbones representing the buried head
of Hercules’ slain enemy appears in the coat-of-arms of the city of Coruña.

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Discussion Questions

  • When you look at pictures of this lighthouse, you can see that the rectangular tower is in the
      center of a fortified stone circle on a softly rolling green hill, high above the blue seas below.
      Would you have assumed this was a lighthouse if you were not told? What makes it seem
      different than others?

  • What insight does recreating ancient art or architecture provide for modern viewers?
  • What, if any, knowledge of the legend of Hercules do you have?
7. Heceta Head Lighthouse

Ever since it first lit up the night in 1894, the Heceta (hu SEE tuh) Head Lighthouse of the Oregon
coast has held a commanding view of the feral and craggy coastline and Pacific Ocean below.
While it is now a designated scenic viewpoint, it was always important to the ships that were
guided by it.

Named after the Spanish explorer Bruno de Heceta, the site of the building was originally a fishing
spot of Indigenous tribes and is part of the Siuslaw (sigh OOS lah) tribe’s traditional lands. While
it was used for hunting and fishing, it was also a place of legend. It is said that the Animal People
had built a great stone wall (the high cliffs) and tricked the aggressive Grizzly Bear brothers to
falling to their deaths there.

When white colonists came to the area in 1888, they requested and were granted approval for the
building of a lighthouse. Work began in 1892, but because the site is in such a secluded area, it
took extra time for building materials to be brought in. When the weather and tides cooperated,
shipments were delivered to the coast and then taken to the site by wagon along a dirt path. The
site was finally finished in 1893, and the beacon was first lit in March of the following year.

The grounds were home to not only the lighthouse but also houses for the head lightkeeper and his
assistants as well as their families, a barn for storage, and two kerosene storage buildings so that
in the unlikely event of a fire there was a backup supply. Again, because of the remote location and
bad weather, it might take many months before a new shipment of kerosene could be delivered.

By 1978, the unique building was placed on the National Register of Historic places. Its glowing
white tower against the dark forested hillside makes it a striking sight to behold.

Discussion Starters

  • The tower and red-roofed dwellings seem to exist in a small flat meadow in the middle of a
      craggy forest mountain. What does that tell you about why the site was chosen or why it was
      such a difficult building site?

  • While other lighthouses have no separate dwellings for the lighthouse keeper, this one has
      multiple homes for a tiny community of three families to live together. Why do you think that
      choice was made? Was it based on location or something else?

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8. Chania Lighthouse

The Chania (ch A nia) Lighthouse of Greece has stood, ever watchful, for five centuries. Although
it is known as the “Egyptian” lighthouse, it was actually built by Venetians on natural rock at the
entrance of the Isle of Crete’s historic harbor. Although not quite as old as the Tower of Hercules, it
was built in the 16th century, making it one of the oldest lighthouses.

First built by the Venetians, the structure was initially part of an attempt to protect the area from
the Turks. The Firkas Fortress was built on one side of the harbor opening and the bastion
of St. Nicholas on the breakwater of the harbor. The lighthouse was then built at the end of the
breakwater, opposite the Fortress. During different wars, the tower was repaired and reimagined by
the Egyptians, then the Ottomans, and finally the Greeks. Because of the many years of repairs and
differing styles, the lighthouse bears a unique design that makes it stand out from other lighthouses.
Because the reconstruction was finished under Ottoman rule, it is reminiscent of a mosque.

Together with its unique design and the calm view behind it, this stone tower is a welcoming and
picturesque site.

Discussion Starters

  • Unlike other lighthouses on this list, the Chania Lighthouse does not sit atop a cliff or
      mountain. Instead, it is set upon what appears to be a stone bridge that glides across the
      placid water like a dragon. You can walk from the mainland to the lighthouse without any
      elevation change. Why do you think this works in this case?

  • Chania Harbor has been occupied by several different regimes and seen a great deal of war.
      How do you think so many different architectural styles coming together managed to make
      something still considered to be cohesive and beautiful?

9. Cap de Formentor Lighthouse

Surrounded by the natural beauty of the Mediterranean, the Cap de Formentor (kab də fuɾmən TO)
Lighthouse is something to behold. Set on the sandy cliffs of the Spanish island of Majorca, the
stunning tower has been guiding sailors along the dangerous coastline since it was built in 1863.

The lighthouse is still active to this day and is known in Spanish as Far de Formentor. It is one of
the most photographed sights on the island. The road to the lighthouse meanders up a hillside
spotted with shrubs, but once you reach the white tower set upon a larger square base, there is a
steep drop off the cliff into the water 689 feet (210 meters) below. Because of the location, it proved
to be difficult to build, but perhaps the extra time and effort put into it is what has made it such a
work of art. The tower is a dynamic piece of architecture that plays against the rugged terrain that
surrounds it.

Famous poet Miquel Costa i Llobera was inspired by the lighthouse to write his well-known poem
“The Pine Tree of Formentor,” and every year, since 1959, the Hotel Formentor has been a place
where leading authors gather for the yearly “Literary Conversations in Formentor.”

Discussion Starter

  • Why do you think that a building as utilitarian as a lighthouse could inspire so much art?
  • When you look at pictures of the lighthouse and the land around it, do you feel inspired? How so?
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10. Portland Head Light

On the east coast of the United States lies the historic Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth,
Maine. In 1787, George Washington, soon to become the first president of the United States,
issued a directive and put up $1,500 to have a lighthouse built in the area. Because the new
government did not have much money, he stated that materials should be sourced locally from
“fields and from shores” and dragged by oxen. Builders were given four years to complete the project.

Plans were made for the lighthouse to be 58 feet (18 meters) tall, but when tested at this height, it
was found that it was not quite high enough to be visible to the south. So, designs were changed to
add another 20 feet (6 meters).

At the same time the tower was being constructed, the new federal government was being formed.
Progress was very slow, and for a time, it seemed as though it might never be finished. However,
another sum of $1,500 was appropriated by Congress in 1790, and construction continued. The
lighthouse was finally ready in 1791, just within the original four-year timeline for completion.

The federal government realized a return on its investment in the lighthouse during the Civil War.
Because the harbor was raided often for supplies, it was of extra importance that ships be able to
see the lights of the harbor as soon as possible in order to prepare themselves against a possible
attack. The tower was raised another 20 feet to give it added visibility.

A strange tale surrounds the lighthouse. On Christmas Eve, 1886, the British ship Annie C.
Maguire, sailing from Argentina, crashed at Portland Head. While the entire crew managed to get
to safety, the wreck itself puzzled all involved. The weather was calm and there was no visibility
issue. The crew reported that they clearly saw the lighthouse and land, but at the same time,
seemed to be unable to prevent themselves from crashing.

Today, the lighthouse is completely automated, and the dwelling has been converted into a
maritime museum. The conical white tower on the craggy cliffs of Maine creates an iconic view,
especially when enchanting pink sunsets cast a soft glow over the area.

Discussion Starters

  • This lighthouse has all the markers of a stereotypical lighthouse. Now that you have seen so
      many other unique lighthouses, do you have a preference?

  • Why do you think building this lighthouse was so complicated?
  • Why do you think the crew of the Annie C. Maguire wrecked on the shore?
Additional Activities

 1. Sea shanties seem to go hand in hand with lighthouses. Listen to some sea shanty music.

 2. Want to see a more detailed tour of the lighthouses highlighted in this article? Watch this
    video, which has amazing footage of each lighthouse and their surrounding areas.

 3. Learn more about how lighthouses work and what the popular Fresnel lens is.

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses – Page 8 of 8

Les Éclaireurs Lighthouse                Galle Lighthouse

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses (Pictures)

Makapu`u Point Lighthouse                  Lindesnes Lighthouse

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses (Pictures)

Cape Espichel Lighthouse                 Tower of Hercules

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses (Pictures)

Heceta Head Lighthouse                  Chania Lighthouse

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses (Pictures)

Cap de Formentor Lighthouse                 Portland Head Light

©ActivityConnection.com – Famous Lighthouses (Pictures)