MOST AMAZING Old Lighthouses

  • 2 months ago
MOST AMAZING Old Lighthouses
Transcript
00:00Hey everyone, today we're going to discover 15 of the most intriguing old lighthouses.
00:05These are guardians of the coast that have stood the test of time, guiding mariners through
00:09treacherous waters.
00:10These structures, often perched on rugged cliffs, not only a navigational aid, but they
00:15hold centuries of maritime history.
00:17Let's start with number 15, the Tower of Hercules Lighthouse in Spain.
00:21This lighthouse is known to have existed by the first century, built or perhaps rebuilt
00:26under Trajan, possibly on foundations following a design that was Phoenician in origin.
00:31The design was based on the original plans of the Lighthouse of Alexandria.
00:35Its base preserves a cornerstone with an inscription ascribing the tower's design to the architect
00:40Gaius Sevius Lupus, as an offering to the Roman god of war, Mars.
00:45The outline of the ramp is still visible in the restored exterior, and the final story
00:49of the tower was likely topped with a dome.
00:52In 1788, the surviving 34-meter tower core was given a neoclassical restoration, including
00:58a new 21-meter fourth story.
01:00This restoration was undertaken by a naval engineer during the reign of Charles III of
01:04Spain and was finished in 1791.
01:07UNESCO praised the work, the Tower of Hercules, and it was restored in the 18th century as
01:12an exemplary manor, which has protected the central core of the original Roman monument
01:16while restoring its technical functions.
01:19Through the millennia, many historical stories of the Lighthouse's origin have been told.
01:24According to one of these myths, Hercules slayed the giant Geryon after three days and
01:28three nights of continuous battle.
01:30Hercules, then, in a traditional Celtic gesture, buried the head of Geryon with his weapons
01:35and ordered that a city be built on the site.
01:38The Lighthouse, standing atop a skull and the crossbones representing the buried head
01:41of Hercules' slain enemy, appears in the coat of arms in the city of Arcaruña.
01:4714.
01:48THE BISHOP ROCK LIGHTHOUSE IN ENGLAND The Bishop Rock is a skerry off the British
01:53coast in the northern Atlantic Ocean, known for its lighthouse.
01:57It's in the westernmost part of the Isles of Scilly, an archipelago about 45 kilometers
02:01off the southwestern tip of the Cornish Peninsula of Great Britain.
02:05The Guinness Book of Records lists it as the world's smallest island with a building on
02:09it.
02:10The original iron lighthouse was begun in 1847, but it was washed away before it could
02:14be completed.
02:15The present building was completed in 1858, and it was first lit on September 1st that
02:19year.
02:21Bishop Rock is also at the eastern end of the North Atlantic shipping route used by
02:24ocean liners in that route, where they could compete for transatlantic speed records, known
02:29as the Blue Ribbon.
02:30An 1818 report by the Surveyor General of the Duchy of Cornwall on the dangers of shipping
02:35in Cornwall proposed that a lighthouse be built, similar to the Eddystone Light, upon
02:40Bishop Rock, given its location as the westernmost rock of the Isles of Scilly.
02:45The government didn't take up the offer, but Trinity House surveyed Bishop Rock in 1843
02:50with a view to building a lighthouse, and under their engineer-in-chief, James Walker,
02:54construction work began in 1847.
02:57Bishop Light is often referred to as the King of the Lighthouses, and it is indeed a very
03:01impressive structure.
03:02With a height of 49 meters, the lighthouse is the equal tallest in England, together
03:06with the Eddystone Light.
03:0813.
03:09Tritrankavitti Lighthouse in Iceland This lighthouse is an active lighthouse about
03:157.2 kilometers off the southwestern coast of Iceland.
03:19It is often described as one of the most isolated in the world.
03:22The name means three rock pillars, referring to the three named sea stacks at that location.
03:28The lighthouse was constructed during 1938 and 1939, originally built by hand without
03:32machinery, and was accessible only by scaling the tallest of three rocky stacks, whose top
03:37is 36 meters above the sea, who recruited experienced mountaineers to scale the sea
03:42stacks.
03:43Their climbing tools didn't allow them to bite into the rock near the top, and there
03:46were no handholds, so they made a three-person human stack, one man on his knees, a second
03:52atop him, and a third one climbing onto the second one for the final leg.
03:57According to Arnie, the first thing we had to do was create a road up the cliff.
04:00We got together experienced mountaineers, all from the Westman Islands.
04:04We then brought drills, hammers, chains, and clamps to secure the chains.
04:08Once we got near the top, there was no way to get any grip on the rock, so one of them
04:11got down on his knees, the second stood on his back, and the third climbed on top of
04:15the other two, and was able to reach the nib of a cliff above.
04:18I can't tell you how I was feeling whilst witnessing this incredibly dangerous procedure.
04:22Well, the crew stayed on the rock in tents for a month.
04:26During the construction, electronics were installed three years later.
04:29The lighthouse was commissioned on July 5, 1942, during World War II.
04:34A helipad for helicopter access was added in the 1950s.
04:3812.
04:39Nugget Point Lighthouse, New Zealand This lighthouse is located in the Otago region
04:44of the South Island of New Zealand.
04:46It's owned and operated by Maritime New Zealand.
04:49It was built from 1869 to 1870 and first lit on July 4, 1870.
04:54The lighthouse apparatus that was installed had to come to New Zealand on the same ship
04:58as the lighthouse designer James Balfour in 1863, and was originally intended for the
05:03light at Cape Saunders.
05:05With the project on Otago Peninsula experiencing many delays, the lighting apparatus was used
05:09at Nugget Point instead.
05:11In 1901, Walter Hutton Champion was the lighthouse keeper along with his wife, Alice.
05:16Originally, the lighthouse was powered by an oil burner.
05:19In 1949, the oil lamp was replaced with an electric 1,000-watt lamp, powered by a local
05:24diesel generator.
05:25The generator was then replaced in the 1960s by a connection to the mains grid, although
05:29the original lens for the light remained in place and continued to be used.
05:34The light was fully automated in 1989, and it's now monitored and managed from a Maritime
05:38New Zealand control room in Wellington.
05:40In 2006, the original light was replaced with an LED beacon, powered by mains and backed
05:46up by battery.
05:47The light was solarized in May of 2020 and now has no mains power.
05:51An easy 20-minute return walking track leads from the car park at the end of the Nugget's
05:55Road to a viewing platform right next to the lighthouse.
05:58The lighthouse itself, though, is fenced off.
06:0111.
06:02The Aniva Cape Lighthouse in Russia This lighthouse is one of the most inaccessible
06:08lighthouses in Russia.
06:09For years, it had been warning ships off the dangerous coast of the rocky Aniva Cape in
06:14the Sea of Okhotsk.
06:15Today, it stands abandoned but remains a highly popular tourist attraction.
06:19The abandoned tower does have a long history.
06:22Before the Japanese were ousted from the Sakhalin Islands by the Russian in the final days of
06:25World War II, they had managed to erect a lighthouse on one of the most inaccessible
06:30places on the island.
06:31The construction began in 1937 and lasted for two years.
06:35In 1939, the Aniva Light was erected on the hard-to-reach Rocky Cape.
06:39This lighthouse was necessary because the waters here are deadly for vessels.
06:43Underwater currents, frequent fog, and rocky shoals threaten to destroy ships.
06:48It consists of a concrete rounded-shaped tower with a lower outhouse, and it's about 31 meters
06:53tall and has nine floors.
06:55Initially, the first floor was designed as a storehouse for equipment and the second
06:58floor as a room for radio communication.
07:01Floors from the third to the fifth were set aside for living quarters complete with bunk
07:04beds where up to 12 people could reside at the same time.
07:07The light that it produced was visible up to 35 kilometers away, and in 1990, Russia
07:12recalled the personnel from the light, switching instead to an automatic mode.
07:16The lighthouse was equipped with a radioisotope thermoelectric generator that powered it until
07:202006.
07:21Today, however, the structure stands unused and abandoned.
07:2410.
07:25The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light in Florida This lighthouse and museum, located at Ponce
07:32de Leon Inlet in central Florida, is 53 meters in height.
07:36It's the tallest lighthouse in the state and one of the tallest in the U.S.
07:40It became a National Historic Landmark in 1998.
07:43Unfortunately, the oil lamp was never delivered, and soon after the tower was completed, a
07:48strong storm washed much sand from around the base of the tower, weakening it.
07:52There were many shipwrecks along the coast near this Mosquito Inlet, but it wasn't until
07:561883 that another effort was begun to place a light there.
08:00Construction was supervised by Chief Engineer Orville E. Babcock until his death in the
08:04drowning in the Mosquito Inlet in 1884.
08:07The tower was completed, and the lamp, which could be seen from 30 kilometers away, was
08:11lit in 1887.
08:13In 1897, author and journalist Stephen Crane was en route to cover a brewing revolt against
08:18Spanish rule in Cuba.
08:19When the ship he was on, the SS Commodore, sank off the coast of Florida.
08:24Crane used this experience in his short story, The Open Boat.
08:27In 1982, the light was restored to active service.
08:30The Ponce de Leon Inlet Light was designated a National Historic Landmark on August 5th,
08:351998, one of only 11 lighthouses to earn this designation.
08:409.
08:41Sletnes Lighthouse, Norway Sletnes Lighthouse is the northernmost mainland
08:46lighthouse on Earth.
08:48This is in the easternmost of the three Nordkapp area lighthouses, and it's often considered
08:52the North Cape Light, marking the top of Europe.
08:56Fruholmen Lighthouse is located about 500 meters farther north on the island of Ingolja,
09:01but Sletnes Lighthouse is the northernmost one.
09:04The round cast iron tower is 39 meters tall and is painted red with two white horizontal
09:09bands.
09:10It doesn't burn during the summer due to the midnight sun.
09:13In 1922, the lighthouse got a foghorn with a siren, and the foghorn could be heard from
09:17one of two-tone signal with a range of about 6 nautical miles.
09:21The horn was in use until about 1985.
09:24In 1998, the lighthouse was listed as a heritage site and was automated in 2005.
09:29And yes, it's even possible to visit.
09:31During summer, you can visit the quaint cafe for a local meal or coffee and join a guided
09:35tour to the lighthouse.
09:37You can even spend the night in authentic surroundings.
09:408.
09:42The Queenscliff High Light, Australia The Queenscliff High Light, also known as
09:47the Black Lighthouse, is a striking feature in Fort Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia.
09:52It's unique as one of the only three black lighthouses in the world and the sole example
09:57in the Southern Hemisphere.
09:59It was built in 1862 alongside the White Queenscliff Low Light.
10:03It replaced an earlier, less effective sandstone lighthouse from 1843 on the same site.
10:08It's positioned about 40 meters above sea level, and its light varies between a steady
10:11beam and a blinking signal every 15 seconds, guiding ships through the treacherous entrance.
10:17The origins of its dark basalt stones are shrouded in mystery.
10:20Some say the stones were ballast from Scotland, while others believe they were quarried in
10:24Melbourne and shipped to Queenscliff.
10:27Interestingly, despite being located on the elevated Shortlands Bluff, the lighthouse
10:30was designed to withstand ocean waves, with curved walls and an entrance originally accessible
10:36only by rope ladder.
10:37The lighthouse was built around the lighthouse during the Australian Gold Rush as a protective
10:46measure for gold-laden ships.
10:49The lighthouse transitioned from gas lighting in 1890 to electricity in 1924 and was one
10:54of the first locations in Victoria to have a public telephone.
10:57Today, it's automated and maintained by the Port of Melbourne Corporation, no longer needing
11:02a human operator.
11:057.
11:06St. Augustine Light Station, Florida The St. Augustine Light Station, an active
11:12lighthouse in St. Augustine, Florida, continues to guide mariners from its position at the
11:16north end of Anastasia Island.
11:18It was constructed between 1871 and 1874 and this tower is the second to light the area,
11:24with its predecessor, Florida's first lighthouse, being lit in 1824.
11:27Today, the lighthouse and its grounds are preserved by the St. Augustine Lighthouse
11:31and Maritime Museum, a non-profit dedicated to maritime history.
11:35It's open 360 days a year and the museum funds its preservation efforts and the educational
11:39programs through admission fees.
11:41The restoration of the light began in 1980, when the Junior Service League of St. Augustine
11:46took on the project, starting with the Keeper's House and later the tower itself.
11:50Their efforts led to the lighthouse being listed on the National Register of Historic
11:53Places in 1981.
11:55The site now includes the 165-foot tower from 1874, the 1876 Keeper's House, historical
12:02kitchens from 1886, and the 1941 Coast Guard Barracks.
12:06It also serves as a weather station for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
12:11continuing its legacy as a beacon of maritime heritage.
12:156.
12:16Dondra Head Lighthouse, Sri Lanka Dondra Head Lighthouse stands proudly on
12:22Dondra Head, the southernmost point of Sri Lanka, and it's not only the tallest lighthouse
12:27in the country, but also one of the tallest in Southeast Asia.
12:30The name Dondra comes from the Sinhala Devi Nuwara, meaning City of the Gods.
12:35It was designed by Sir James Nicholas Douglas and built by William Douglas of the Imperial
12:39Lighthouse Service starting in November 1887.
12:42Bricks, steel, and even the granite were sourced from Scotland and Cornwall, and by March 1890
12:48the lighthouse was operational, funded by dues from the Bass's Lighthouse, totaling
12:52about £30,000.
12:53Originally, it was equipped with a large, hyper-radiant Fresnel lens, just one of a
12:58few lighthouses fitted with those advanced lenses at the time.
13:01It had incredible range.
13:03However, in 2020, this was replaced with a static flashing LED light, which somewhat
13:08reduces its range.
13:10The lighthouse is about 49 meters tall and has about seven floors, featuring 14 two-panel
13:15yellow windows and requires a climb of 196 steps to reach the top.
13:20Donderhead is also one of Sri Lanka's four international lighthouses.
13:23It was modernized in 2000 with the addition of a differential global positioning system
13:27and linked via computer to other major lighthouses along the coast, ensuring it continues to
13:32guide mariners safely.
13:345.
13:35SOUTH STACK LIGHTHOUSE IN WALES The South Stack Lighthouse, established by
13:41in 1809, marks a small islet just off Anglesey at the northwest tip of Wales.
13:47Separated by Holyhead Island by a mere 30 meters of churning sea, this lighthouse stands
13:51against a backdrop of towering granite cliffs that rise 60 meters straight from the ocean.
13:57The idea for the light first came about in 1665 when a petition for a patent was presented
14:01to King Charles II, although it wasn't granted.
14:04It wasn't until February 9th, 1809, that the lighthouse first lit up the rocky shore.
14:10By 1840, a rail system was installed to lower a secondary light down the cliff during foggy
14:14conditions when the main light was obscured, and the lighthouse withstood the Royal Charter
14:19Gale on October 25th, 1859, one of the century's worst storms, which led to the wrecking of
14:25over 200 vessels.
14:27Among these was the steamship Royal Charter, which sank close to the shore, claiming nearly
14:31500 lives.
14:32In the mid-1870s, the lighting system received an upgrade with a new lantern, followed by
14:37the introduction of incandescent lighting in 1909 and an improved version in 1927.
14:42The lighthouse was electrified in 1938, and by September 12th, 1984, the lighthouse was
14:48fully automated.
14:49This iconic structure continues to be a vital navigational aid, safeguarding mariners from
14:54the treacherous waters off Wales' coast.
14:574.
14:58Rotor Sand Lighthouse, Germany The Rotor Sand Lighthouse, standing in the
15:03North Sea within the Wesser Estuary, was a pioneering structure when it began service
15:07in 1885, being the first building ever erected directly on the seafloor.
15:13Although its light was deactivated in 1986, it still serves as a day beacon.
15:17In 2010, this iconic lighthouse was recognized as a historical monument of engineering in
15:21Germany.
15:22It rises over 52 meters from its foundation, with its height above sea level varying with
15:27the tides, from about 37 meters at low tide.
15:30The tower itself is 28 meters tall, and it's uniquely designed with a cylindrical base
15:34and a conical upper section, and it's distinctively painted in red and white bands above a black
15:39base.
15:40This color scheme also cleverly indicates the five floors inside the tower.
15:44The base of the lighthouse functions as storage, while the stairway up leads to the various
15:48living spaces, including a bedroom, kitchen equipped with a cold-heated oven, and a living
15:52and service room.
15:54Access to the balcony surrounding the lantern is through the service room, although it's
15:57not possible to walk completely around due to one of the larger windows.
16:01Interestingly, the layout of the lighthouse rooms have evolved over the decades.
16:05For instance, during the 1940s, different levels were used for storage and power generation.
16:09Today, this light is not just a historical monument, but also a unique gateway.
16:14Day trips from Bremerhaven aboard the Leftheifun are available during the summer months, and
16:18for the more adventurous, overnight stays are possible, offering a truly unique experience.
16:233.
16:25Cape Hatteras Light, United States The Cape Hatteras Light, located on Hatteras
16:30Island in Buxton, North Carolina, is a towering beacon within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
16:36It's known for its distinctive pattern.
16:38This light is celebrated as one of the most beautiful and iconic in the U.S.
16:42It stands as a vital guide through the perilous waters of Diamond Shoals, aptly nicknamed
16:47the Graveyard of the Atlantic due to the numerous shipwrecks here.
16:51This region is where the warm waters of the Gulf Stream meet the cold Labrador Current,
16:56creating a breeding ground for powerful storms.
16:59Recognizing the dangers, Congress authorized the lighthouse's construction in 1794 after
17:03a close call experienced by Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, leading to its affectionate
17:09nickname, Hamilton's Light.
17:11Standing at 198 feet, it is the tallest brick lighthouse in the U.S. and the second tallest
17:16in the world.
17:18Despite that impressive height, it ranks as the 15th highest light in the nation, as its
17:22base is nearly at sea level.
17:24Initially constructed in 1802 with a dark sandstone facade, the original lighthouse
17:28emitted from 18 lamps, visible from up to 18 miles away in clear conditions.
17:33In a dramatic response to encroaching seas, Cape Hatteras Light was moved 2,900 feet inland
17:39in 1999 to protect it from shoreline erosion.
17:42This relocation, known as the Move of the Millennium, placed the lighthouse a safer
17:461,500 feet from the current shoreline, along with its associated support buildings.
17:51This monumental effort ensured that the light would continue its legacy of guiding ships
17:55safely through one of the most hazardous parts of the Atlantic.
17:592.
18:01FASTNET LIGHTHOUSE, IRELAND The Fastnet Lighthouse stands as a towering
18:06beacon on the remote Fastnet Rock in the Atlantic Ocean, known as Ireland's Teardrop, because
18:11it was the last site of Ireland for many 19th century immigrants heading to North America.
18:17This 54-meter-tall lighthouse, the tallest in Ireland, is perched on the rock about six-and-a-half
18:21kilometers southwest of Cape Clear Island and 13 kilometers from the Irish mainland
18:25in Co.
18:26Cork.
18:27The rock itself is a small clay-slate islet with quartz veins rising about 30 meters above
18:31the low water mark, separated from the smaller Little Fastnet by a 10-meter-wide channel.
18:37The lighthouse visible today is the second one on this location, with the first light
18:40shining on January 1st, 1854.
18:43It was built to replace an earlier lighthouse on Cape Clear Island, prompted by the tragic
18:48loss of American sailing pack at Stephen Whitney.
18:50However, the original lighthouse on Fastnet Rock wasn't sturdy enough to withstand the
18:54harsh weather.
18:55Even gales were known to displace crockery and once swept away a 200-liter cask of water.
19:01Despite efforts to reinforce it, including encasing the base with stone and filling the
19:04lower floors with solid material, it was deemed inadequate.
19:08By 1891, concerns over its insufficient light, crucial for ships making their first landfall
19:14across the Atlantic, led to the decision to build a new one.
19:17The current lighthouse, completed in 1904 at a cost of nearly £90,000, continues to
19:22stand resilient against the formidable forces of the ocean, marking the rock as a vital
19:26navigational aid and a poignant symbol of Irish heritage.
19:311.
19:32HARBOR LIGHT TOWER IN SCOTLAND So we wrap up our tour of fascinating lighthouses
19:38by visiting Scotland, home to the world's smallest working lighthouse, which is uniquely
19:43powered by vegetable oil.
19:45The historic Harbour Light Tower, standing at just 23 feet tall, has a beacon that can
19:50shine across three miles.
19:52It's perched in North Queensferry, commanding a view of the majestic Fourth Rail Bridge.
19:57This quaint tower was built in 1817 by students and civil engineer Robert Stevenson to replace
20:02an earlier lighthouse from 1811 that was across the street.
20:06The original lighthouse was essential for navigating the well-traveled River Forth,
20:10but had limitations in fully illuminating the busy ferry crossing.
20:14The new Harbour Light Tower featured a better positioned lightroom, enhancing visibility
20:18along the river, and even inherited the argand lamp from its predecessor.
20:22Although the introduction of the Fourth Bridge in 1890 made the Queensferry Passage less
20:26vital, leading to the lighthouse's closure in 1964, the passion for preservation prevailed.
20:32In 2014, North Queensferry Heritage Trust received the lighthouse, restoring the lamp
20:37to working order.
20:38Today, not only does this charming little lighthouse function perfectly, but it also
20:42serves as a tourist attraction and a museum.
20:45The argand lamp, by the way, with its powerful reflector magnifies the flame over 2,000 times,
20:51ensuring that that light can reach up to three miles.
20:54That transformation from a crucial navigation lane to a celebrated historical site encapsulates
20:59a remarkable journey, making the Harbour Light Tower a proud symbol of Scottish heritage
21:03and ingenuity.