Lighthouses of Sri Lanka
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or framework designed to emit light
from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire and used
as an aid to navigation and to pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses are used to mark dangerous coastlines, hazardous shoals and
reefs, and safe entries to harbours and can also assist in aerial navigation.
Once widely used, the number of operational lighthouses has declined
due to the expense of maintenance and replacement by modern electronic navigational
aids.
According to the ARLHS there are 25 light houses in Sri Lanka. Out them
there are 14 active lighthouses. While most of these lighthouses are
under the control of Ports Authority while others are under the control
of the Sri Lanka Navy.
Map

|
Lighthouse
Location / Name
|
Completed
|
Height
|
Status
|
|
Barberyn
|
1890
|
34m
|
Active
|
Batticaloa
|
1913
|
28m
|
Active
|
|
Chapel Hill (Trincomalee Bay)
|
|
|
|
Colombo (New)
|
1952
|
34m
|
Active
|
|
Colombo (Oldest) H
|
|
|
Decommissioned
|
|
Colombo Old Clock Tower Lighthouse
|
1860
|
29m
|
Decommissioned
|
|
Colombo Island Breakwater North End
|
|
|
|
|
Colombo Island Breakwater South End
|
|
|
|
|
Colombo Northeast Breakwater
|
|
|
|
|
Colombo Southwest Breakwater
|
|
|
|
|
Dondra Head
|
1890
|
49m
|
Active
|
|
Foul Point
|
1863
|
32m
|
Inactive
|
|
Galle
|
1939
|
26.5m
|
Active
|
|
Great Basses Reef
|
1873
|
37m
|
Active
|
|
Hambantota
|
|
|
|
|
Kankesantura
|
1893
|
22m
|
Active
|
|
Kevuliya/Kevuliya/Round Island Kevuliya/Round Island/Trincomalee : Round Island/Kevuliya/Kevuliya
|
1863
|
21m
|
Active
|
|
Kovilan Point (Karaitivu Island)
|
1916
|
30m
|
Active
|
|
Little Basses Reef
|
1878
|
37m
|
Active
|
|
Mannar Island (New)/Talaimannar (New) Talaimannar (New)/Mannar Island (New)
|
1915
|
19m
|
Active
|
|
Mannar Island (Old)/Urumalai/Talaimannar (Old) Talaimannar (Old)/Mannar Island
(Old)/Urumalai : Urumalai/Talaimannar (Old)/Mannar Island (Old)
|
|
|
|
|
Mullaittivu
|
1896
|
20m
|
Inactive
|
|
Oluvil
|
1999
|
24m
|
Active
|
|
Point
Pedro
|
1916
|
32m
|
Inactive
|
|
Sangama Kanda Point
|
|
|
|
Created : December 27, 2009
Updated :
February 1, 2010
|