Surprising Locations for Lighthouses

There is a reason that beacon keepers have a reputation for being some of the loneliest people in the world. In the days before modern technology, when sailing was a crucial part of the trade, beacons played a vital role in keeping these vessels safe. For this reason, several lighthouses have been built in areas where you would never expect to find them.

Strombolicchio beacon in Stromboli, Italy, is one of those towers which has amazed people for centuries. This tower was constructed on a tiny piece of volcanic rock in the middle of the ocean. Built in 1905, the constructors of this beacon decided to place it on top of the chimney of a dormant volcano. It is open for tourists; however, the treacherous climb to the top means that few people are willing to risk the journey.

Another place where you can find a pharos where no one would ever think of looking is on the abandoned island of Curacao in the Caribbean sea. Klein Curacao is a reasonably large beacon which was constructed to guide the fishing vessels in the area. Sadly, it was rarely useful. The tower now stands alone on the island, with its only company being the ships that the beacon was not able to rescue.

Few people would ever expect to find a pharos in the middle of sand dunes. However, this is precisely where the beacon of Jutland’s North Sea is located. The Rubjerg Knude beacon was a fully operational tower until 1968. After it was closed, it was used as a museum, but it has been abandoned since 2002. As it faces the harsh elements, it has started to shift and is expected to collapse entirely in the next couple of years.

One of the most spectacular and remote beacons in the world is located in the most southern town in the world. Les Eclaireursis is a beacon that can be found a few miles East of Ushuaia. Sitting at the foot of the Terra Del Fuego mountains, this is believed to be the beacon that marks the end of the earth. This tower is fully automated and emits a bright flash of light approximately every ten seconds. Due to its remote situation, it can only be reached by boat and is a popular attraction for both tourists and seabirds.

These remote beacons were built to serve a crucial role when the ocean was teeming with ships. However, as technology has advanced, they have become a relic.