Kolka Lighthouse
Kolka Lighthouse has a focal height of 20 metres, a tower height of 21 metres and a range of 10 nautical miles. It was built in 1875.
- Focal height
- 20 metres
- Tower height
- 21 metres
- Range
- 10 nautical miles
- Built
- 1875
- Automated
- 1979
- Light characteristic
- Fl(2) W 10s
- Coordinates
- 57.80238, 22.63462
The Kolka Lighthouse is located in the Irbe Strait, Latvia, approximately 5.2 kilometers off the coast on an artificially created island. The lighthouse was built in 1875 to guide ships around the dangerous Cape Kolka at the eastern entrance to the Irbe Strait from the Gulf of Riga. The lighthouse has a distinctive octagonal shape with a red tower and was constructed from cast iron.
The Kolka Lighthouse has a height of 21 meters and a focal height of 20 meters, with a range of 9.3 nautical miles. The lighthouse was automated in 1979 and is still in operation today. The island on which the lighthouse stands was built between 1873 and 1875 using big stones brought from the coast via an ice road. The area of the island is approximately 2000 square meters.
The history of the Kolka Lighthouse dates back to 1818 when a pair of range lights was built on the point of the cape to guide ships around the offshore shoals. However, these proved inadequate and a lightship station was established in 1858. A temporary wooden lighthouse was lit offshore in 1875 before the permanent iron tower was completed. The lighthouse has played an important role in guiding ships safely around the cape and is still an essential aid to navigation today.
Light and tower
It lies on the Irbe Strait. It has an octagonal seawalled island with red tower. The tower is built of cast iron. Its daymark is red tower. The light has a focal height of 20 metres. The light has a range of 10 nautical miles. Its light characteristic is Fl(2) W 10s. It was automated in 1979.
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Details
- Name
- Kolka Lighthouse<br>''Kolkas bāka''
- Marking
- red tower
- Range Nm
- 10
- Foundation
- 1873
- Year Built
- 1875/1884
- Description
- '''Kolka Lighthouse''' (Latvian: ''Kolkas bāka'') is a lighthouse located in Irbe Strait, off the Latvian coast on a specially created artificial island. The lighthouse guides ships around the dangerous Cape Kolka, at the eastern entrance to the Irbe Strait from the Gulf of Rīga.
- Tower Shape
- octagonal seawalled island with red tower
- Body Of Water
- Irbe Strait
- Location Text
- [[Irbe Strait]], [[Latvia]]
- Focal Height M
- 20
- Tower Height M
- 21
- Year Automated
- 1979
- Light Characteristic
- Fl(2) W 10s
- Construction Material
- cast iron