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.

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

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