Delimara Lighthouse

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The historic lighthouse on the Delimara Peninsula
The modern lighthouse

Delimara Lighthouse is the name of two lighthouses on the Delimara Peninsula near Marsaxlokk on the island of Malta . The historic lighthouse was built in 1855 and was in operation until 1985; it is now owned by Dín l-Art Ħelwa . The modern, electrically operated beacon was put into operation in 1990.

Buildings and equipment

The historic lighthouse consists of a two-story rectangular substructure and a black and white striped tower. The building is largely made of globigerine limestone, only at the top of the tower was hard rock used to house the beacon . There is a pear-shaped paraffin tank made of brass in the building.

The modern lighthouse is a two-story building with communication technology installed on the roof.

location

Both lighthouses are located a few meters from each other at the tip of the Delimara Peninsula, the southeasternmost point of Malta. They are about 3 km southeast of Marsaxlokk. The modern building is located 15 meters southeast of the historic building.

history

The need for a beacon on the Delimara Peninsula arose as a result of the opening of the Suez Canal and the resulting increase in shipping traffic around 1850. The English governor of Malta, Sir Richard More O'Ferrall commissioned the construction and in 1854 work on the Lighthouse started. It was completed a year later. At that time, the lighthouse served primarily as an orientation aid for merchant ships, but the lighthouse keeper also gave a report on all the ship movements he observed in the direction of Malta. In the first time after it was built, there was a fixed red lantern in the lighthouse. In 1896 it was replaced by a more powerful oil lamp. This sent alternating white and red light beams every 30 seconds. The mechanism required for this had to be wound up by hand. The light was visible up to 19 nautical miles . In 1956 there were obvious problems with this mechanism and it was replaced by a solid white lantern.

The lighthouse was damaged in World War II. In addition to broken glass, damage from shrapnel was particularly evident.

A fundamental renovation of the lighthouse began in 2006. The first two phases of the renovation, which concerned the outer walls, but also water and electricity connections, etc. were completed in 2008. In a third and final phase, which lasted five years due to financial difficulties, among other things, the lighting mechanism was also restored.

literature

Web links

  • Russ Rowlett: Lighthouses of Malta. University of North Carolina, June 27, 2006, accessed January 21, 2015 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Island Nation Restores Delimara Lighthouse. Lighthouse Digest, accessed January 21, 2015 .
  2. ↑ Elizabeth Ayling: A Beacon of Light in Malta's Heritage. Maltainsideout, accessed January 21, 2015 .
  3. ^ Stanley Farrugia Randon: The Restoration of the Lighthouse of Delimara. academia.edu, accessed on January 21, 2015 .
  4. ↑ Island Nation Restores Delimara Lighthouse. Lighthouse Digest, accessed January 21, 2015 .

Coordinates: 35 ° 49 ′ 19.5 ″  N , 14 ° 33 ′ 31.6 ″  E