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.
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 maintained as tourist attractions.
According to the ARLHS there are 25 lighthouses 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.
There are 4 international lighthouses in Sri Lanka. They are
Lighthouses of Sri Lanka
| Lighthouse Location / Name | Completed | Height | Status |
| Barberyn / Beruwala | 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 | 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) | |||
| Mullaittivu | 1896 | 20m | Inactive |
| Oluvil | 1999 | 24m | Active |
| Point Pedro | 1916 | 32m | Inactive |
| Sangaman Kanda Point | 1947 | 8m | Inactive |
