See what a "lighthouse" is in other dictionaries. Lighthouse - sea "stars" - a developing portal for children and parents famik

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Remember, I showed you. I didn’t want to clog the topic with all sorts of interesting things and details, there was something to see anyway :-)

And now I will tell you in general about lighthouses. We learn something unusual, the most interesting.

Lighthouse- a means of navigational equipment of maritime theaters in the form of a capital structure of a tower type, designed to determine the position of ships in the sea. This building has a bright contrasting color that visually distinguishes it from the surrounding area. Lighthouses are equipped with a strong light source and, as a rule, are equipped with optical means to amplify the light signal in order to be clearly visible at night.

The lighthouse can also sound and/or transmit a radio signal to ships in order to perform its function in conditions of poor visibility (temporary, as during fog, or permanent, for example, caused by terrain conditions).

Due to the use of modern navigation technologies, the role of lighthouses as a means of navigation has somewhat decreased, and at present the number of operating lighthouses around the world does not exceed one and a half thousand.

For a long time, bonfires were simply kindled on the tops of the lighthouses - there were no other sources of light. Then they began to use oil, oil, gas (kerosene-incandescent and acetylene burners). Finally, electricity came into play.
The most important step in equipping lighthouses with powerful light sources was made in 1820, when Fresnel lenses were installed here, which increased the intensity of light beams. Today, large lighthouses use searchlights with high-power incandescent lamps as a light source, while local lighthouses are usually limited to low-voltage lamps powered by portable batteries.

Navigation towers were built by the ancient Egyptians, and the Phoenicians, and the Greeks, and the Romans, and the Vikings. It is curious that the lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos) built in 283-247 BC is rightfully included in the seven canonical wonders of the world. e. under Pharaoh Ptolemy II on an island near Alexandria. Work on the construction of a three-tiered 120-meter building (a record that has not been broken, by the way, to this day!) took an incredibly short time - only five years. How many slaves died in this, no one, of course, did not count. The result was important, and it was achieved; long centuries cyclopean structure delighted foreign merchants and travelers whose ships anchored in the Alexandrian harbour.

Descriptions of the lighthouse are amazing even today. At the base, it was a square with a side of 30 meters, the first 60-meter "floor" was made of stone slabs, and another 40-meter tower, lined with marble, towered above it. At a hundred-meter height, a huge fire was constantly maintained, the light from which was amplified with the help of a complex system of mirrors. Firewood for this "eternal fire" was brought up a spiral staircase so flat and wide that donkey-drawn carts climbed up it!

By the way, the architect of the lighthouse - Sostratus of Knidos - was so pleased with his creation that he risked, contrary to the strict instructions of the pharaoh, to leave his "mark" on the building. The inscription reading: “Sostratos, son of Dextiphon of Cnidus, dedicated to the savior gods for the sake of seafarers,” the architect hid under a layer of plaster, on which only the name of the pharaoh flaunted. However, Sostratus did not risk anything, because he was sure that he would not live to see the day when the plaster crumbled.

Roman travelers were the first to see the seditious inscription already in the time of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, when the Egyptian state finally fell under the onslaught of the Romans. It was more than two centuries after the death of both Ptolemy and Sostratus. The lighthouse was still active, and it was destroyed only during the earthquake of the XIV century.

Lighthouse of Alexandria was the most tall building in the world and was located on an ancient island Faros. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a guarantee for the safe return of sailors to Grand Harbour. The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, according to various estimates, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. For many centuries it was the tallest structure on earth. That is why we will include the lighthouse in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and decided to establish a new capital there - Alexandria.

Maritime trade developed rapidly and the need for a lighthouse that would indicate a safe route to the Alexandrian harbor was becoming more and more acute. And as a result, on the eastern tip of the island of Pharos, which lies at a distance of 1290 m from Alexandria, a lighthouse was built, which received the name of the island. The connection between the name of the lighthouse and its function turned out to be so strong that since that time the word "pharos" has become the root of the word "lighthouse" in many languages. The lighthouse reached a height of 135 m and its light was visible at a distance of 60 km. It was built by the architect Sostratus of Cnidus in 280 BC. on a rock rising on the eastern coast of the island of Pharos.

The lower part of the lighthouse was a tetrahedral prism 60 meters high with a base in the form of a square, the side length of which was 30 meters.
Various inventory was stored inside the lighthouse, and a flat roof served as the base of the middle part, decorated with huge statues of Triton in the corners.

The roof was a tower lined with white marble. The top of the lighthouse was built in the form of a cylindrical colonnade, headed by a 7-meter bronze figure of the sea lord Poseidon. A huge fire served as the main source of light. Until now, the phenomenon of the distance of the glow and the brightness of the beacon has not been established. According to some versions, this effect was achieved with the help of huge polished mirrors, according to others - due to the use of transparent polished stones - lenses.

In May 1100, a strong earthquake destroyed the lighthouse almost to the ground. After that, in the Middle Ages, the base of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built into the Turkish fortress of Kait Bay. At the moment, it has turned into an Egyptian military port, so even archaeologists cannot get to the remains.

An exact copy of the Lighthouse of Alexandria was built in the city of Changsha (China)

Since then, lighthouses have been built everywhere, from any material at hand: wood, stone, brick, concrete, reinforced concrete, aluminum (in last years began to build lighthouses even from light and elastic fiberglass).

The British generally have a special relationship with lighthouses. The famous writer Robert Louis Stevenson raved about the sea since childhood - his father and grandfather built lighthouses. The grandfather, who built lighthouses on the most inaccessible rocky shores of the North Sea, was even awarded the title of “Viceroy of the Great Lighthouse Empire” by Walter Scott (the grandfather of the author of Treasure Island was one of the founders of the Northern Lighthouse Authority).

Fresnel lenses at the National maritime museum in Paris.

One of the most important stages in the development of lighthouses was the invention in 1820 fresnel lens, which made it possible to significantly increase the power of light - up to 80,000 candles, while the light source was just a burning wick! This is approximately equal to the intensity of the headlights of a modern car.

And here is the first the American continent(except for the hypothetical navigation lights of the ancient Maya and Incas) was a wooden lighthouse erected on an island near Boston in 1716. And with the independence of the North American colonies and the formation of the United States, the coastal lighthouse system was transferred by the first president, George Washington, directly under the jurisdiction of the federal treasury. The Americans, as a practical people, from the very beginning took the means of maritime navigation seriously - as a purely "monetary" matter.

In Russia, the intensive construction of lighthouses began, as you might guess, under Peter, when the state began to rapidly build up its navy. The very first lighthouse in Russia is considered to be the Dagerortsky (Kypu) lighthouse, built in 1531.

The second powerful wave of lighthouse construction came in the 1950s. By that time, Soviet industry had mastered the serial production of beacon light-optical devices with a light intensity of 50 thousand to 3 million candles and a range of up to 30 nautical miles, and architects and engineers had learned to build monolithic concrete towers using adjustable metal formwork.

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Today, one of the highest and most powerful lighthouses in the world is installed off the western coast of France. There, just before the entrance to the English Channel, there is a small island of Ouessant, and still farther into the sea, 30 miles from this island, a lonely nameless rock rises from the water. It was on it that in the mid-1980s the builders managed to stick a 100-meter lighthouse, the light from which, with reflective clouds, is already visible on British Isles Scilly, also located at the entrance to the English Channel. And between the lighthouse and these islands, no more, no less, but 169 kilometers.

Yokohama Sea Tower

This lighthouse is probably the most ambitious structure ever created by lighthouse builders, although formally the height record holder is a lighthouse in Japanese city Yokohama (106 meters high and 600 thousand candles). But this completely urban steel tower, erected on the territory of one of the busiest ports in the world, can only strike the imagination of an audience completely devoid of romance. Yes, and it is simply called - Yokohama Sea Tower. Whether it's a lighthouse on a lonely rock at the "gates" of the English Channel! There is another lighthouse in the English Channel.

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The name of the cape comes from the Latin word “palus”, which means lagoon. Cape Cabo de Palos closes southern part Small sea. The coast in this place is of unprecedented beauty, the waters of this area are included in the Marine Reserve of Cabo de Palos and the Hormigas Islands due to the value of the biological species that inhabit them. Many bays form the nearby coast (Cala Fria, Cala Roja, Cala Reona, Cala la Galera and others). Their clear water attracts many who like to relax in such places. The seabed near the Ormigas Islands is very beautiful, and lovers of scuba diving like to visit there.

According to the ancient historians Pliny and Avien, in antiquity there was a ancient temple the god Baal Hammon, whom the ancient Romans later began to call Saturn.,

In the 16th century, under the reign of King Philip II, a watchtower was built on this site to protect local residents from attacks by Barbary pirates. However, during the Renaissance, the tower was destroyed, and the current lighthouse was built from its fragments in 1862.

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The lighthouse is located on a small hill, at an altitude of 81 m above sea level and 51 m above the level of the plain in the eastern part of the cape. It first earned on January 31, 1865. Every ten seconds, it emits two flashes of white light, which are visible at night for 23 nautical miles from the lighthouse.

Well, we somehow figured out the highest lighthouse, let's find out now, which lighthouse is the oldest?

The grandfather of Hook Head lighthouses is the oldest in Ireland and one of the oldest operating lighthouses in the world. It was built by monks back in the 5th century, who made sure that it did not go out for the next six centuries. In its current form, the lighthouse has existed for almost 800 years.

It was built between 1170 and 1184 by the Normans from local limestone and burnt lime mixed with bull's blood. Even today, traces of blood and lime can be seen through the coverings of the lighthouse. Today the lighthouse is one of the most popular places in Ireland.

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Currently, the most powerful lighthouse in the world, located in France, pierces the night sky with a dazzling beam of 500 million candles. The 54.85m high black and white lighthouse Creach stands on the island of Ouessant in French Brittany.

But this lighthouse is located on the island of Auveron, off the west coast of France.

The Atlantic coast of France is known for its stormy winds and high waves, numerous outcrops of granite. So you can't do without a lighthouse here. The light of the Creah lighthouse can be seen from a distance of 60 km. In the old engine room, there is a museum of marine signaling. In addition, you can visit another attraction - Stiff Lighthouse, opened back in 1700. In addition, this lighthouse is still operating.

Well, now let's turn to the most pleasant - THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LIGHTHOUSES IN THE WORLD. Of course, this criterion is relative, but still ..

The Atlantic coast of France has long lived by the sea, fishing and trade. Port Brest - along these shores, small trading and fishing boats have always floated briskly - to the south of France, to Spain and beyond. But on the way of the sailboats there was a very unpleasant place - a long chain of islands and underwater reefs, stretching far into the sea - Chaussée de Sein.

A huge number of ships disappeared there. And in 1869, it was decided to put a lighthouse on the island of Tevennec (Tevennec) - the very first dangerous place, if you sail from north to south of France. It took more than five years to build the lighthouse, and in 1875 a fire broke out on it. Thus, together with the La Vieille lighthouse, they formed some kind of light gates and the ships had to stay between them.

Lighthouse La Jument.

This lighthouse is located on the island of Ouessant (located at the westernmost point of the Breton waters in France). La Jument is built right in the sea on a rocky spur not far from the coast and has a height of 100 meters.

remember, this is how the caretaker went out to smoke in a storm :-)

Lighthouse de Kereon (Le Phare de Kereon).

Lighthouse keepers go all the way from "hell" (lighthouses on the high seas), through "purgatory" (islands) and to "paradise" (continent) in solitude, and not only metaphysical. In the 20th century, veterans of the First World War often became custodians; oddly enough, even after World War II, this profession was considered "privileged" for war invalids. The current level of technology makes the presence of a person in the lighthouse building unnecessary.

In 2004, Kereon ("Sea Palace"), the last inhabited lighthouse in the sea, closed its doors with a beautiful mahogany and ebony wind rose. Today no one lives here anymore.

Lighthouse Four (Le Four).

Lighthouse-tower Four (Four) (category "hell"), which is able to withstand waves of 30 meters in height.

Lighthouse Ar-Men (Ar-men).

Lighthouse Ar Men (translated from Bret. "Rock") - a lighthouse on the reef of the island of Ile-de-Seine in French Brittany. It got its name from the rock of the same name, on which it was built between 1867 and 1881. The lighthouse is widely known for its isolation and the difficulties encountered during its construction (the lighthouse stands in open ocean 5 kilometers from the nearest coast, this is the island of Seine, off the west coast of France), as well as the difficulties associated with the evacuation of personnel from the lighthouse. Considered one of the toughest jobs in the lighthouse keeping community, earning him the nickname "Hell of Hells".

The decision to build a lighthouse in a completely impossible place was made after the shipwreck of the frigate Sane in 1859 (at this point in the ocean there is only a narrow passage among the underwater rocks, one of the most dangerous places for navigation, nicknamed the road from hell to hell). The problem was that the only rock in the area on which something could be built was only a couple of meters above the sea surface. In principle, this would be enough with calm water, but the ocean in that place is almost never quiet. Several expeditions returned from reconnaissance with the verdict "it is impossible to build." But without the lighthouse, shipwrecks would have continued and the project would have been pushed through.

Construction began in 1867, when a group of workers landed on the rock. So the preparation of the rock foundation (drilling holes and installing reinforcement) started. People worked right during the rough seas, with insurance and in special shoes, so as not to be swept away by the waves that swept over the rock. Short shifts at low tide. This preparation went on for two years.

The main work began in the 69th, laying out granite blocks and pouring the concrete base of the lighthouse from Portland cement, resistant to impact sea water. 40 hours of work gave one cubic meter of foundation.

The construction went on for 15 (!) years, while there were practically no accidents, there were practically no human casualties, only in 1981 one of the workers who found themselves in the water died (although there were many cases of washing people into the ocean during and after the work). During the construction process, there were fears that the structure would turn out to be fragile and would not withstand the impact of the waves, because the size of the rock is only slightly larger than the diameter of the lighthouse tower! But the lighthouse is standing, only the walls are corroded by sea water.

The first lighthouse signal could be seen on the night of August 30-31, 1881. And it still works, having gone through several technical upgrades.

In the late 1980s, the Ar-Man Lighthouse was electrified and equipped with a 250W halogen lamp. It was one of the first to be automated, and since April 10, 1990 it has been operating in fully automatic mode.

Beacon Height:

Height above sea level: 33.50 m
Overall dimensions: 37 m
Height Length: 33.50 m

Light source

since October 1, 1897 - diesel fuel (produced on the island of Ile-de-Seine)
since 1903 - oil vapors
1988 - electrification (halogen lamps of 250 W)
1990 - automation

Lighthouse on the island of Vierge (Ile Vierge).

The tallest lighthouse in Europe is located on the island of Vierge (Ile Vierge) near Plouguerneau. The lighthouse is 82.5 meters high and was built in 1897, and there is a small lighthouse next to it, but it is a bit older - it was built in 1845. The coast of legends (Cote d' Legende) belongs to the Finistere department, which is known for its bays - Aber-Ildut, Aber Benoît and Aber Wrac "h". Just in the mouth of the latter and the lighthouse is located.

Lighthouse Les Pierres-noires ("Negress Stones").

The lighthouse is located in the city of Conquet in France. It was built from 1867 to 1871. May 1, 1872 the lighthouse began its work. At that time, 325 thousand gold francs were spent on the construction of this project.

Roches-Douvres lighthouse.

The current lighthouse in Côtes-d "Armor (France). The height of the lighthouse is 60 m and it is considered the 24th tallest lighthouse in the world.

The lighthouse is located on the rocky reef Roches-Douvre, which is considered very dangerous due to the fact that at high tide it is completely covered with water and cannot be seen from the surface. Lighthouse Roches-Douvres is considered one of the most remote from the mainland in Europe, it is located 30 kilometers from the French coast.

The building can only be reached by boat from the shore. The lighthouse itself is completely closed to the public.

Lighthouse Needles.

The lighthouse looks the most ordinary, but the place where it is located in Alum Bay is of fabulous beauty.

The area where the lighthouse is located is a narrow rocky ridge, which in some places rises to 120 m in height. These rocks have always represented great danger for sea vessels. But in 1781 merchants and shipowners petitioned for the construction of a lighthouse. They received a patent in January 1782.

Now let's look for something unusual among the lighthouses. Well, for example...

Lighthouse Rubjerg Knude, Denmark

The first light in the Rubjerg Knude lighthouse was lit on December 27, 1900. The lighthouse was built on the very high point coastal slope, at an altitude of 60 m above sea level and 200 meters from the coastline. The construction cost was 176,000 crowns.

This is how he looked at the beginning...

The height of the lighthouse tower is 23 meters, and when the lighthouse was built, it was 200 meters from the water, and there were no large dunes around it. Over time, the sea moved closer and, at the same time, the wind blew from the cliff a large number of sand. Sand accumulated in front of and around the lighthouse. Sand filled the well and destroyed the garden plantings. To stop the sand, pine wood trellises were installed, and sod meadow and clover were planted. But as a result of these measures, the dune only grew. The more plants were planted, the more the dune grew. In the end, it reached such a size that the light of the lighthouse was no longer visible from the sea. On August 1, 1968, the fight against sand was stopped, and the lighthouse was lit for the last time.

In 1980, the Museum of Sand Deposits was opened, and the lighthouse became a platform for the exhibition Historical Museum Vendsüssel, dedicated to sands and sand deposits. In 1992, the fight against sand drifts was finally abandoned. The dune continued to migrate to the northeast and gradually covered the buildings. The Sand Deposit Museum was closed in 2002.

The lighthouse buildings are abandoned. The sand has crept close to the lighthouse, and nature is reclaiming the territory. The closer the lighthouse is to the cliff, the more isolated it will be. Coastal erosion has caused the cliff to be further and further from the water, and the sand dune is constantly growing. In 1992, the fight against the advance of the sand was finally abandoned, and now the sand was allowed to gradually "eat" the lighthouse buildings. To date, the dune has moved behind the lighthouse and has become almost 20 meters lower.

The cliff is about 60 meters away, and since the erosion of the coastline in recent years has eaten up almost 3 meters annually, the lighthouse will be on the shore in less than 20 years, and 125 years of drama will be history.

Or, for example, there is such a lighthouse-church!

To ensure the safety of navigation in the area of the islands, milestones and cormorants were installed. But by the 1860s, when large steamships from Arkhangelsk and other ports began to make regular flights to the island White Sea, a more advanced navigation fence was required, capable of ensuring the safety of navigation not only during the day, but also at night.

A church was built on top of the 74-meter Sekirnaya Mountain in 1861. In a two-story building without altar apses, there are two churches: at the bottom - Michael the Archangel and on the second floor - the Church of the Ascension. According to the project of the architect Shakhlarov, the building of the temple, the top point of which was at a height of 98 meters from the foot of the mountain, was originally supposed to be used as a lighthouse.

In 1862, the dome of the church was built on with a lighthouse tower, and on August 1, 1862, the trial operation of the lighthouse began (in different sources it is called 1862 or 1867). The lighthouse is located in a light drum above the dome

The unusual appearance of this structure involuntarily attracted the attention of the pilgrims, and they did not see anything seditious in it. The light coming from the cross and showing the wanderers the right path to the Solovetsky monastery acquired a special symbolic meaning for them.

Initially, it was assumed that the lighthouse, as promised by the abbot of the monastery, would be monks under the supervision of a caretaker appointed by the Hydrographic Department of Arkhangelsk. However, Archimandrite Porfiry unexpectedly renounced his promise to single out people, declaring that he sees no benefit for himself from the lighthouse, except for unnecessary troubles and costs, and he does not have "people capable of such a thing."

The true reason for such a turn was different: the abbot feared that “the deeds and lifestyle of the lighthouse workers, which did not correspond to the life of hermits, would disturb the peace of the brethren.”

After much persuasion and persuasion, they agreed that the Hydrographic Department would appoint a caretaker and one ordinary sailor to the lighthouse, and the monastery would allocate 2 novices or one hired worker to help them. In 1897, the monastery nevertheless accepted the lighthouse for full service.

Until 1904, kerosene lamps were installed in it, and then French devices were installed.

In the 1960s, the lighthouse was overhauled and switched to electricity. At present, the lighthouse, together with the Sekirnaya Church, is part of the Solovetsky Monastery and is also served by it under the supervision of the Solovetsky Aid to Navigation Group.

The lighthouse is still the highest lighthouse on the White Sea (the top point of the temple is at a height of 98 meters above sea level), operating in automatic mode, provides a visibility range of up to 10 miles.

Here's a modern one...

In the village of Malorechenskoe near Alushta, a memorial complex "In Memory of those killed on the waters" was created, which includes the church of St. Nicholas and the Museum of disasters on the waters.

The Church of St. Nicholas of Myra is dedicated to those who died on the water, and travelers. The height of the temple with the upper and lower levels is 54 meters. Instead of the traditional dome, the church is crowned with a golden cross, under which the ball is a symbol of the Earth. It is in the ball that the lighthouse for sea vessels is arranged. Marine theme is used in the decorative frame.

There are about ten such temples in the world. In Russia, one - In the White Sea, on the Solovki, in Finland - in Sveaborg.

But another friend suggested that it turns out that floating lighthouses also exist.

Even in ancient times, in places where conditions did not allow the construction of towers, floating lighthouses, or ships with lighthouse equipment, were used. Just like traditional light towers, lightships have a long and fascinating history. The first of these was the Roman galley, set sail in the time of Julius Caesar. High on the mast, a charcoal brazier lit up the night sky. The only inconvenience was that the hot ashes rained down on the sweaty backs of the rowers chained to the benches.

But then there was a special attitude towards slaves, and therefore no one cared about this. In 1729, the first river floating lighthouse appeared at the mouth of the Thames, and 60 years later, the first floating sea lighthouse (in the North Sea). Soon their number began to increase.

But in recent years, floating beacons have given way to automatic buoys and beacons - metal structures that resemble platforms with oil rigs.

But a photo of this lighthouse was sent by a blog reader Sergey :-)

This is a working lighthouse in the Crimea in the town (village) Mezhvodnoe.

The most famous advent associated with lighthouses was mysterious disappearance three lighthouse keepers at the same time on the Flannan Isles in December 1900.
In France, the coastline was not marked with lights until the 17th century, this was done to prevent attacks by pirates.
One of the few that is still operating, the lighthouse church - the Ascension Church, was built in 1867 on the Sekirnaya Hill of the Big Solovetsky Island (see Solovetsky Islands).
The Statue of Liberty was used as a lighthouse from 1886 to 1902.
The westernmost lighthouse in Russia, built in 1813-1816, is located in the city of Baltiysk. It points the way to ships heading to the ports of Baltiysk, Svetly and Kaliningrad.
The Westerlichttoren lighthouse was featured on the Dutch 250 gulden banknote.
The first recorded lighthouse was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in 200 BC on the island of Pharos by the Egyptian Emperor Ptolemy. Foros lighthouse is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The height of the lighthouse was 150 meters (492 feet) - about three times higher than modern lighthouses.
Roman emperors built many lighthouses to help their troops navigate. In 90 AD e. Emperor Caligula ordered the construction of a lighthouse at Dover, England. This lighthouse is said to be the oldest lighthouse in England and it still stands at the base of Dover Castle.
In 1543, the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, Lanterna, in Genoa, was built. Its height is 75 m (246 ft).
The first stone lighthouse in the world is Smeaton Eddystone, which is located south of Plymouth, England. This lighthouse was built in 1756 by the father of urban planning in England, John Smeaton. He illuminated with 24 candles. Eddystone stood for 47 years until a fire broke out in it, after which it was dismantled and built on a nearby rock.
Today, the equivalent of a lighthouse fire is about 20 million candles. And modern lighthouses run on high-pressure xenon lamps.
The tallest lighthouse in the world is the steel tower at Yamashita Park in Yokohama. Its height is 106 meters (348 feet).

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A lighthouse is a structure that cannot be called just a structure. Lighthouses have always attracted the eyes and attention of people with their romanticism, special significance for sailors, and even their seclusion on headlands and steep cliffs jutting out into the sea.

For many hundreds of years, lighthouses have been of great importance for maritime navigation, often becoming a virtual salvation for ship crews, exhausted by storms, returning home or going to a foreign port.

With the development of modern technologies, including in maritime navigation, optical beacons no longer play such a significant role, yielding to radio beacons and satellite systems. But they stand, still stand, like sea wolves beaten by time, towers flashing in the night on the shores of the seas and bays.

The lighthouse of Chersonesos is one of my favorite places in Crimea. I've been near the lighthouse dozens of times, but I still couldn't get inside...

The lighthouse of Chersonesos is familiar and recognizable by many. It is located at the entrance to Sevastopol bay, in its southwestern part, at the tip of Cape Khersones, which protrudes far into the sea (not to be confused with the Khersones Reserve, which is located directly in the city of Sevastopol).

The first information about the lighthouse in these places appeared in 1789, 6 years after Russian warships entered the Akhtiyar Bay for the first time.

Marine arrangement military base and the laying of the city of Sevastopol required, among other things, the organization of navigation facilities. One of which was the Chersonese lighthouse.

The construction of the Chersonese lighthouse began in 1816 together with the Tarkhankut lighthouse. Led by the choice of location and construction of Leonty Spafaryev, director of the lighthouses of the most developed water area in this respect Russian Empire- Gulf of Finland.

The lighthouse was a 36-meter hollow stone cone with two-meter walls at the base. To the level of the lighthouse room, the thickness of the walls decreased to one meter. As the operating experience showed, the safety factor of the structure made it possible to successfully withstand colossal alternating wind loads, impacts of storm waves and even seismic shocks. The lighthouse survived the most serious Crimean earthquake of the XIX-XX centuries, which was in 1927.

Back in the 19th century houses were built for the lighthouse servants near the tower. At first, the servants huddled in just a few rooms, but later a small residential lighthouse town appeared, which, however, suffered more than once from storms and storms.

In our time, one of the premises is equipped for a lighthouse and technical. It contains all the necessary radio equipment, as well as automatic system beacon control

At the very beginning, in 1816, the lighthouse had fifteen Argand lamps with a cotton wick soaked in rapeseed oil as a light source. The burner, protected by a glass dome open at the top, resembled the kerosene lamp familiar to us (although the latter, however, was invented only 37 years later). The lamps were placed at the focus of polished parabolic mirrors.

Later, the lighting apparatus was upgraded to provide a flashing mode of operation. Mirrors and lamps were placed on a round float dipped into a bowl of mercury. A complex gear mechanism, the principle of operation of which is similar to that of clocks with weights, gave the float uniform rotation at a given speed.

At the end of the XIX century. the mirror illuminator was dismantled. Instead, a light-optical apparatus based on Fresnel lenses was installed, consisting of concentric rings of small thickness adjoining each other, having a prism shape in cross section.

After the war, the lighting system was again modernized and the flashing mode of operation is no longer provided by the rotation of the optical apparatus, but by the periodic switching on and off of the lamp.

Today, there is no longer a need for the constant presence of a caretaker in the lighthouse room on the tower, manually lighting the lighthouse and monitoring that the light does not go out. All this is controlled by an automatic system in a service building near the lighthouse.

The caretaker at the appointed time only has to turn the beacon switch-on knob:

He looks at the appointed time in the table of illumination, which is compiled for each month based on the time of dawn and sunset of each day:

These are watches that are suspended in a special system that neutralizes the influence of the earth's gravity:

A device for direct communication with the main navigation service and a sticker with call signs:

On the wall in the lighthouse keeper's room is an old-school safety poster and a similar old-school rechargeable flashlight. But only mobile phone betrays modernity:

But it's time to go inside the tower. After all, the most interesting is ahead.

Despite the signs with the year 1816, the tower itself is not 200 years old. During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), the tower was almost completely destroyed and rebuilt in 1950-1951. from reinforced concrete lined with Inkerman white stone.

How is a lighthouse built? As I said, it has a height of 36 meters. The lower part is a hollow cone with spiral staircase and four tiers of light windows to illuminate the stairs.

In the upper part there is a lighthouse room (with a round window and a fence along the contour), in which at first the lighthouse ignition system was located, and also at night there was a caretaker. At the very top is a cap in which the lamp is located. The dome has 360-degree glazing so that the light of the lighthouse can be seen from everywhere.

Lighthouse under a light dome. There is a low ceiling and there is absolutely no room to turn around. A small table, an emergency telephone, and a small porthole window:

And now - the holy of holies - a lighthouse lamp burning in the night is shown in the hatch:

Today, a system is used with a 1 kW quartz-halogen lamp, installed during the post-war reconstruction of the lighthouse in 1951. The flashing mode of operation is provided not by the rotation of the optical apparatus, but by the periodic switching on and off of the lamp. Moreover, the alternation of the duration of the pulses ensures the transmission of the Morse code signal "SV" - Sevastopol.

In addition, a KRM-300 circular radio beacon operates at the cape, transmitting the same "SV" signal at a distance of up to 150 miles (280 km). In addition to it, there is equipment for the more accurate Mayak-75 navigation system, the principle of which is based on measuring the time between the signals of the master and slave stations and calculating the distance to them. The Mayak-75 station operates in conjunction with similar ones located on the capes Tarkhankut, Fiolent and near Genichesk.

Moment of lamp ignition. Then it is physically impossible to look at her:

At night, the lighthouse opens beautiful view into the open sea. By the way, the lighthouse fire on a clear night can be seen from about 16 miles (30 kilometers) away:

Lighthouse tower at night:

This is how the 36-meter tower looks from the sea:

One of the dozens of sunsets that I spent on the shore under the lighthouse:

- this is the place where light is born and in a moment dies, and this is repeated again and again. Since the famous Lighthouse of Alexandria towers that send rays of light into the darkness become a guiding star for ships and an object of delight for tourists.

A means of navigation equipment for maritime theaters in the form of a tower-type capital structure designed to determine the position of ships in the sea. This building has a bright contrasting color that visually distinguishes it from the surrounding area. Lighthouses are equipped with a strong light source and, as a rule, are equipped with optical means to amplify the light signal in order to be clearly visible at night.

The lighthouse can also give sound signals to ships and/or transmit a radio signal in order to perform its function even in conditions of insufficient visibility (temporary, as during fog, or permanent, for example, caused by terrain conditions).

Alexandrian lighthouse ( Lighthouse Alexandria ) is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the World, which, in addition to architectural elegance, also has a practical function.

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was the tallest building in the world and was located on an ancient island Faros. The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a guarantee for the safe return of sailors to Grand Harbour. The height of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, according to various estimates, ranged from 120 to 140 meters. For many centuries it was the tallest structure on earth. That is why we will include the lighthouse in the list of 7 ancient wonders of the world.

In 332 BC, Alexander the Great conquered Egypt and decided to establish a new capital there - Alexandria.

Maritime trade developed rapidly and the need for a lighthouse that would indicate a safe route to the Alexandrian harbor was becoming more and more acute. And as a result, on the eastern tip of the island of Pharos, which lies at a distance of 1290 m from Alexandria, a lighthouse was built, which received the name of the island. The connection between the name of the lighthouse and its function turned out to be so strong that since that time the word "pharos" has become the root of the word "lighthouse" in many languages. The height of the lighthouse reached 135 m and its light was visible at a distance of 60 km. It was built by the architect Sostratus of Cnidus in 280 BC. on a rock rising on the eastern coast of the island of Pharos.

Lighthouse Tevennec and La Vieille.

The Atlantic coast of France has long lived by the sea, fishing and trade. Port Brest - along these shores, small trading and fishing boats have always floated briskly - to the south of France, to Spain and beyond. But on the way of sailboats there was a very unpleasant place - a long chain of islands and underwater reefs, stretching far into the sea - Chaussée de Sein.

A huge number of ships disappeared there. And in 1869, it was decided to put a lighthouse on the island of Tevennec (Tevennec) - the very first dangerous place if you sail from north to south of France. It took more than five years to build the lighthouse, and in 1875 a fire broke out on it. Thus, together with the La Vieille lighthouse, they formed some kind of light gates and the ships had to stay between them.

Several successive shots of the lighthouse taken by photographer Jean Guichard from a helicopter in a severe storm in 1989. In the photo, the lighthouse keeper, who, due to the noise of the helicopter, thought that rescue services had arrived and went out of hiding. At that moment, a giant wave hit the building. The caretaker almost died, but managed to hide in time behind the steel doors of the entrance to the lighthouse.

Lighthouse keepers go all the way from "hell" (lighthouses on the high seas), through "purgatory" (islands) and to "paradise" (continent) in solitude, and not only metaphysical. In the 20th century, veterans of the First World War often became custodians; oddly enough, even after World War II, this profession was considered “privileged” for war invalids. The current level of technology makes the presence of a person in the lighthouse building unnecessary.

In 2004, Kereon ("Sea Palace"), the last inhabited lighthouse at sea, closed its doors with a beautiful wind rose of mahogany and ebony. Today no one lives here anymore.

Brittany. Teignouse Lighthouse.

The numerous lighthouses of Brittany are faithful guides for sailors, and they speak the same language with the fishermen. For example, on the Quiberon peninsula, instead of “burned out” or “sunburned,” they say “became like the Teignouse lighthouse” - white with a red nose.

Lighthouse-tower Four (Four) (category "hell"), which is able to withstand waves of 30 meters in height.

Lighthouse Four (Le Four). High resolution photo

Lighthouse Ar Men (translated from Bret. "Rock") - a lighthouse on the reef of the island of Ile-de-Seine in French Brittany. It got its name from the rock of the same name, on which it was built between 1867 and 1881. The lighthouse is widely known for its isolation and the difficulties that arose during its construction (the lighthouse stands in the open ocean 5 kilometers from the nearest coast, this is the island of Seine, off the western coast of France), as well as the difficulties associated with the evacuation of personnel from the lighthouse. Considered one of the toughest jobs in the lighthouse keeping community, earning him the nickname "Hell of Hells".

The main work began in 1969, laying out granite blocks and pouring the concrete base of the lighthouse from Portland cement, resistant to sea water. 40 hours of work gave one cubic meter of foundation.

The first lighthouse signal could be seen on the night of August 30-31, 1881. And it still works, having gone through several technical upgrades.

Beacon Height:

Height above sea level: 33.50 m
Overall dimensions: 37 m
Height Length: 33.50 m

Light source

since October 1, 1897 - diesel fuel (produced on the island of Ile-de-Seine)
since 1903 - oil vapors
1988 - electrification (250 W halogen lamps)
1990 - automation

This lighthouse is located in a picturesque location on the edge of the Conquet Peninsula.

The tallest lighthouse in Europe is located on the island of Vierge (Ile Vierge) near Plouguerneau. The lighthouse is 82.5 meters high and was built in 1897, and next to it is a small lighthouse, but it is a little older - it was built in 1845. The coast of legends (Cote d’ Legende) belongs to the Finistere department, which is known for its bays – Aber-Ildut, Aber Benoît and Aber Wrac’h. Just at the mouth of the latter, the lighthouse is located.

Lighthouse Les Pierres-noires ("Negress Stones").

Operating lighthouse in Côtes-d'Armor (France). The height of the lighthouse is 60 m and it is considered the 24th tallest lighthouse in the world.

The building can only be reached by boat from the shore. The lighthouse itself is completely closed to the public.

The lighthouse looks the most ordinary, but the place where it is located in Alum Bay is of fabulous beauty.

Needles Lighthouse in Alum-Bay

The area where the lighthouse is located is a narrow rocky ridge, which in some places rises to 120 m in height. These rocks have always been a great danger to ships. But in 1781 merchants and shipowners petitioned for the construction of a lighthouse. They received a patent in January 1782.

And in conclusion, a small selection of beautiful lighthouses and simple modern ones, but which are located in very picturesque places.

Lighthouse Lindau. lake constance. The height of the lighthouse is 33 meters. Bavaria, Germany

Hook Head Lighthouse, Ireland

The most famous lighthouse incident was the mysterious disappearance of three lighthouse keepers at the same time in the Flannan Isles in December 1900.
In France, the coastline was not marked with lights until the 17th century, this was done to prevent attacks by pirates.
One of the few that is still operating, the lighthouse church - the Ascension Church, was built in 1867 on the Sekirnaya Hill of the Big Solovetsky Island (see the Solovetsky Islands).
The Statue of Liberty was used as a lighthouse from 1886 to 1902.
The westernmost lighthouse in Russia, built in 1813-1816, is located in the city of Baltiysk. It points the way to ships heading to the ports of Baltiysk, Svetly and Kaliningrad.
The Westerlichttoren lighthouse was featured on the Dutch 250 gulden banknote.
The first recorded lighthouse was the Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in 200 BC on the island of Pharos by the Egyptian Emperor Ptolemy. Foros lighthouse is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. The height of the lighthouse was 150 meters (492 feet) - about three times higher than modern lighthouses.
Roman emperors built many lighthouses to help their troops navigate. In 90 AD e. Emperor Caligula ordered the construction of a lighthouse at Dover, England. This lighthouse is said to be the oldest lighthouse in England and it still stands at the base of Dover Castle.
In 1543, the tallest brick lighthouse in the world, Lanterna, in Genoa, was built. Its height is 75 m (246 ft).
The first stone lighthouse in the world is Smeaton Eddystone, which is located south of Plymouth, England. This lighthouse was built in 1756 by the father of urban planning in England, John Smeaton. He illuminated with 24 candles. Eddystone stood for 47 years until a fire broke out in it, after which it was dismantled and built on a nearby rock.
Today, the equivalent of a lighthouse fire is about 20 million candles. And modern lighthouses run on high-pressure xenon lamps.
The tallest lighthouse in the world is the steel tower at Yamashita Park in Yokohama. Its height is 106 meters (348 feet).

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The majestic giants of the coast. For thousands of years they have been pointing the way to their native shores, protecting sailors from the dangers of coastal waters, and giving a ray of hope for salvation.

Lighthouse- a structure built in the form of a tower, designed to navigate ships near dangerous shores. They are a visible landmark during the day, and at night they emit a continuous or flashing bright light to warn passing ships of dangers and help them navigate, determine a safe course. For a lighthouse, its identification is important, including the exact coordinates of its location on a sea chart. For many hundreds of years, lighthouses have been of great importance for maritime navigation, often becoming a virtual salvation for ship crews, exhausted by storms, returning home or going to a foreign port.

History of occurrence

In ancient times, sailors, sailing at night, navigated by ordinary fires that burned along the coast. In the tenth song of the Odyssey, he tells that the inhabitants of Ithaca lit fires so that Odysseus could find his native harbor. Many centuries passed before people began to build special lighthouse structures. The first information about lighthouse towers is reported by the Roman historian Pliny the Elder in his " natural history". In his time, there were lighthouses in Alexandria, Ostia, Ravenna and other ports of the Mediterranean Sea. The Alexandrian, or Pharos, tower, built in 283 BC at the mouth of the Nile at the entrance to the Alexandrian harbor, is considered the most ancient lighthouse. was built by the Greek architect Sostratus on the orders of the Egyptian king Ptolemy Philadelphus.At night, a fire burned on the top of the tower, which, according to contemporaries, "shone like a star" and was visible at a distance of about 30 nautical miles.By the beginning of our era, there were 27 lighthouses in the world. They illuminated the shores of the Dardanelles, the Bosporus, the English Channel, the Apennine Peninsula, Southern France, Spain.In the Middle Ages, with the flourishing of the commercial activities of the Hanseatic League, beacon-towers appeared in the North Sea.The first of them was built by the merchants of the free city of Hamburg in 1286 on the island of Neuwerk when approaching the mouth of the Elbe.

Despite technological progress and the 21st century, lighthouses are still an integral part of the navigation system at sea. Beyond purely technical side maritime safety, beacons attract many as a landmark anywhere in the world. A visit to the light beacon for the area where it is located is an almost mandatory point of the excursion program.

Types of lighthouses

Coastal lighthouses

These structures are built on the coast, sometimes, in the vicinity of the coast, they can be erected on coastal islands.

Coastal beacons differ in their function: Identification(single) beacons - they serve to indicate a certain point on the water or land surface, serve, in particular, as signs at the entrance to the port, as well as in those places where ships change their course, as well as to indicate dangerous areas on the water.

Leading beacons(necessarily work in pairs) - first of all, they serve to mark a certain line on the map, they are usually used to indicate to ships where they should change course in order to enter a harbor or port. The lighthouse is a point on the horizon, which is clearly not enough for many navigational needs. To indicate passages to ports, estuaries, directions of movement along the fairway, beacons can be used as leading signs. In this case, two beacons are used, installed on different height. The far beacon is always higher than the near one - thus, if the vessel is on the right course, then both beacons can be simultaneously observed from it, located on the course line, visually one above the other. Due to the difference in the heights of the leading marks, it is possible to determine exactly which direction to correct the course in order to accurately follow the direction of the alignments. Such a system of indicating the direction of movement was first introduced in Europe in 1837 and was called "Leading Lights" (Eng. Leading Lights). Thanks to this system with a difference in the heights of the leading beacons, it became possible to determine exactly in which direction to change the course of the vessel. It is widely used not only in sea but also in river navigation. Most of the approach routes and fairways of sea and river ports are equipped with leading lights.

Marine lighthouses

Sea lighthouses or "floating" are installed on sea vessels. They can be used far from the coastline, when entering the port, serve as a pilot station. They are equipped with a strong light source with the use of optical magnification, in order to be clearly visible at night.

Lighthouses in Russia

The emergence of lighthouses in Russia dates back to the time of the birth of a regular domestic fleet. With the access of the Russian state to the seas, Peter I had to take care of ensuring the safety of navigation, in particular, by building lighthouses, identification marks and fencing fairways.

The first lighthouse was built on the Sea of Azov at the mouth of the Don during a campaign against Azov (1696). Petrovsky's "firstborn" was also illuminated by bonfires. If we follow the chronological order of the appearance of lighthouses in tsarist Russia, then it is necessary to turn to Arkhangelsk on the White Sea, where, before the founding of St. Petersburg, all the naval and commercial activities of the Russian Tsar were concentrated. By decree of the Great Converter in 1705, a floating fence was built on the Northern Dvina at the entrance to the port of Arkhangelsk. Since then, the lighthouse business began to develop rapidly, despite tangible financial difficulties due to numerous wars. It should be noted that Peter I sometimes attached to the decrees on the construction of new lighthouses his own schematic drawings of the proposed structures with general instructions.

By the end of the reign of Peter I, several lighthouses - stone and wooden - were already operating on the Baltic Sea. Most of them were lit by firewood, some by charcoal. Firewood was usually prepared by peasants of nearby villages for 30 kopecks. per sazhen, and it took a lot of them. For example, about 900 fathoms of firewood were burned annually at the Dagerort lighthouse, and 250 fathoms of firewood and up to 1500 pounds of "overseas" (Dutch) coal were burned at the Gotland lighthouse.

Non-commissioned officers with sailors, pilots or infantry soldiers, and sometimes simply peasants, were entrusted with monitoring the lighting of lighthouses at the direction of the local authorities. Each time they went to the lighthouse, instructions were given to the observers of the lighting, which always invariably ended with the instruction "to have a diligent look, in strong care, so that [the lighthouses] are always properly maintained" and "the fire of the great and high burned." With the cessation of lighting for the winter time most of people returned to their former places of service, and two people were usually left for the winter care of the lighthouse.

In Russia in the region Kola Peninsula, lighthouse Svyatonossky is one of the largest and oldest and in this regard is of historical value.

The Svyatonossky lighthouse is installed on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. The height of the tower from the base is 22 meters. The height of the fire from sea level is 94 meters. Visibility range 22 miles.

The development of lighthouse construction in the North is associated with the name of the brave Pomor I. I. Pashin, who made two unparalleled voyages from Arkhangelsk to St. Petersburg around Scandinavia on his small boat "Saint Nicholas". Thanks to these voyages, Pashin became known to high royal officials and the general public. While in 1835 in the capital, he petitioned the Minister of Finance, who at that time was in charge of merchant shipping. In his letter, Pashin revealed in detail the navigational and economic need to establish a number of illuminated lighthouses in the White Sea and on the Murmansk coast, modeled on Western countries and the Baltic coasts of Russia. First of all, the navigator considered it expedient to place illuminated beacons at points where, during the autumn voyage to Arkhangelsk, Pomeranian and foreign sailing ships abruptly changed their course: at Capes Svyatoy Nos, Gorodetsky, Tersko-Orlovsky, Pulonga, winter mountains, on the islands of Mudyug, Zhizhtin, Zhuzhmun, Sosnovets.

In 1835, the Naval Ministry decided to build 9 lighthouses on the White Sea to provide coast lighting necessary for the safety of navigation. Among them was a lighthouse on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula, and this lighthouse was given special attention. The "Report on the Hydrographic Department", signed by Major General Zeleny, says: "The lighthouse on the Holy Nose, the entrance beacon to the White Sea, is essential, and not the existence of such an entrance beacon, the only example in European seas; the reason for such a case can be explained by the fact that our warships mainly leave the White Sea, and do not enter it, and therefore do not feel the urgent need that merchant ships need. Such entrance beacons should have the brightest lighting possible, and therefore the Department believes that it is really necessary to have first-class fire on the Holy Nose and even glimmers that enhance the brightness of the light and clearly distinguish beacon fire from strangers.

Initially, it was planned to build a stone lighthouse with a Fresnel diopter system on the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula. Due to the high cost of such a project and the complexity of subsequent repairs, it was decided to purchase a cast-iron or iron lighthouse abroad with its subsequent delivery in disassembled form to the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, where it was planned to assemble it.

On March 18, 1859, the Chief Commander of the Arkhangelsk Port, Adjutant General B. A. Gyaazenal, addressed the Hydrographic Department of the Naval Ministry with the following proposal: "I believe that with the most limited appropriation, the construction of wooden lighthouses with due calculation designed, with their lower value, relatively iron and stone, can bring proper benefits and for a very long time.

The English breeder Grissel, with whom negotiations were held on the manufacture of a metal lighthouse, did not provide the relevant detailed drawings, but only made the facades of the lighthouse. The drawing of the facade of the lighthouse was made at a high artistic level (it is stored in the Central State Administration of the Navy), but did not allow checking the compliance with the amount of 57 thousand rubles required by him. In addition, the analysis climatic conditions showed the need for appropriate processing of metal parts, which led to a significant increase in the cost of the entire lighthouse structure. All this, plus the lack of funds, led to the fact that His Imperial Majesty Sovereign Emperor Alexander Nikolayevich "... deigned to approve the Highest ..." the project of a wooden lighthouse on the Svyatoy Nos peninsula. Instead of the apparatus of the Fresnel system (the most modern at that time), it was decided to install ordinary reflectors on the lighthouse, which were made in the lamp workshop of the Directorate of the Baltic Lighthouses in Tallinn.

The contract for the construction of wooden services (residential and service buildings and structures) for the lighthouse and their delivery to the place was taken by the Arkhangelsk merchant Ivan Ermolaevich Toropov. The construction was carried out in the village of Solombala. The disassembled services were transported to the peninsula and assembled there. The following were built: a caretaker's house, a barracks, a bathhouse, a pantry with a glacier, a shed for cisterns. Later, a lighthouse tower was also assembled in Arkhangelsk, which, disassembled, was transported by sea to the Svyatoy Nos Peninsula, where it was supposedly installed by September 15 (old style), 1862. At the same time, a catoptric system with argant lamps was delivered to the lighthouse from Tallinn.

The right to build and maintain lighthouses at that time belonged not only to the government, but also to private individuals, so the owners of coastal estates often built lighthouses for their own needs and operated them partly on their own, partly by leasing. Beacon lights, no different from the lights bred by the local population, often led to shipwrecks.

The biggest inconvenience, however, came from the fact that private owners were allowed to maintain beacon lights at their own expense. These owners, using the ancient Coastal Law, which allowed to take part of the value of a wrecked ship and its cargo, often deliberately extinguished a beacon fire or lit it in another place, contributing to shipwrecks.

What is a lighthouse for? What is its purpose?

Vessels on the high seas are guided by the lighthouse in the dark time of the day or in inclement weather. Without lighthouses, ships would simply lose their directions and could not find the coastal territory in such emergency conditions. The lighthouse is a kind of guide and landmark.

A lighthouse is a capital structure that serves for visual navigation of ships to determine their position on the water. Indispensable in bad weather. Beacons are identification and leading. Lighthouses have been built since antiquity. Lighthouse of Alexandria, built in the 3rd century BC.

The Statue of Liberty was once used as a lighthouse.

In ancient times, the lighthouse was an indispensable attribute of sailing on ships, because the lighthouse could be seen a hundred kilometers from the earth. After all, then there were no modern navigation devices.

Usually a lighthouse is very high tower, a light (usually red) is lit at the very top of the tower to point ships in the right direction. Of course, now the lighthouse is not as relevant as in antiquity. Now there are satellite navigation systems on ships.

Amazing, beautiful, useful question.

Let there be light!

Lighthouses were built for different purposes, warning, observation, showing the way, attracting attention.

But the main task of the lighthouse is to shine!

The lighthouse is always erected on the rocks, and those who build and operate the lighthouse know a lot about the sea and about the dangers of various underwater ones. And they show the ships detours.

And the lighthouse keeper is an invisible hero. He literally saves the ships and the captains and sailors often do not even know him. But the caretaker is not responsible for the crash, but he always calmly, honestly and alone helps.

Lighthouses are everywhere, even in Antarctica.

There is an amazing church in Ukraine, in Crimea. Church of St. Nicholas church-lighthouse, near Alushta.

And the largest and most amazing (not counting the Japanese) lighthouse today stands near the English Channel on the French side on a tiny island and its beam is visible on the English coast after almost 170 km.

But light beacons are already becoming obsolete, they are being replaced by satellite navigation systems.

Without a lighthouse, it would be difficult for ships to determine where the shore is in the dark and in gloomy weather. A lighthouse is like a guiding star that helps lost ships and fishermen find their way. It's like a compass.

The lighthouse is needed for the orientation of the ships. Purpose is a guide.

A lighthouse is a navigational sign that can be installed on the shore or on the water; old ships are often used for such lighthouses. The light signal of each lighthouse has signs by which sailors can accurately know the name and location of the lighthouse. Currently, sailors and pilots use radio beacons. By the way, well-known broadcasting stations are also used as radio beacons. Beacons will always be needed, because they are quite reliable and allow you to determine the location of a ship or aircraft with high accuracy.