Lighthouses of Sri Lanka

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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 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.

Visiting and photographing lighthouses are popular hobbies as is collecting ceramic replicas. Some lighthouses are popular travel destinations in their own right, and the buildings are maintained as tourist attractions.

According to the ARLHS, there are 25 lighthouses in Sri Lanka. Out of them, there are 14 active lighthouses. While most of these lighthouses are under the control of the Ports Authority while others are under the control of the Sri Lanka Navy.

There are 4 international lighthouses in Sri Lanka. They are

  1. Beruwala ( Barberyn) Lighthouse
  2. Dondara Lighthouse
  3. Little Basses Reef
  4. Great Basses Reef
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 Lighthouses of Sri Lanka

Lighthouse Location / NameCompletedHeightStatus
Barberyn / Beruwala  189034m
Active
Batticaloa
1913
28m
Active
Chapel Hill (Trincomalee Bay)   
Decommissioned 
Colombo (New) – Galbokka Lighthouse 1952
34m
Active
Colombo (Oldest) Lighthouse  1829 22.5m
Demolished
Colombo Old Clock Tower Lighthouse  1860
29m
Decommissioned
Colombo Island Breakwater North End  1907
12m
 
Colombo Island Breakwater South End 
1905
12m
 
Colombo Northeast Breakwater
1907
10m
 
Colombo Southwest Breakwater 
1903
 
Active
Colombo Habour South Breakwater 2013  
Colombo Pilot Station Lighthouse 
1885
19m
Active
Dondra Head 
1890
49m
Active
Foul Point 
1863
32m
Inactive
Galle
1939
26.5m
Active
Great Basses Reef 
1873
37m
Active
Hambantota
1913
14m
Inactive
Kankesanture
1893
22m
Active
Kevuliya/ Round Island 
1863
21m
Active
Kovilan Point (Karaitivu Island) 
1916
30m
Active
Little Basses Reef  1878
37m
Active
Mannar Island /Talaimannar (New) 
1915
19m
Active
Mannar Island /Talaimannar (Old)   Inactive
Mullaittivu
1896
20m
Demolished
Oluvil
1999
24m
Active
Point Pedro  916
32m
Inactive
Pungudutivu Lighthouseunknown10.6mInactive
Sangaman Kanda Point 
1947
8m
Inactive
Trincomalee Old Lighthouse1845 
Demolished