Ahırkapı Feneri

The Ahırkap Feneri, a historical lighthouse still in use, is located at the southern Seraglio Point on the Rumelian coast of Bosporus' south entrance, in Ahırkapı neighborhood of Istanbul's Fatih district, Turkey. It is across from the Kadıköy İnciburnu Feneri, which is on the Anatolian coast of the strait at a distance of 1.5 nmi (2.8 km). A line connecting the two lighthouses marks the southern boundary of the Port of Istanbul.[4]

Ahırkapı Feneri

Ahırkapı Lighthouse seen from Marmara Sea.
Istanbul
Location	Ahırkapı Fatih Istanbul Turkey
Coordinates	41°00′22.79″N 28°59′07.55″E
Year first constructed	1755 (first)[1]
Year first lit	1857 (current)
Construction	masonry tower[2]
Tower shape	tapered cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern[1]
Markings / pattern	white tower with one narrow black horizontal band[1]
Tower height	26 m (85 ft)[2]
Focal height	36 m (118 ft)[2]
Current lens	500mm catadioptric cylindrical lenses[2]
Intensity	1,000 W[2]
Range	16 nmi (30 km)[2]
Characteristic	Fl W 6s.[1]
Admiralty number	E4903[1]
NGA number	17340[1]
ARLHS number	TC1ALH[3]
Turkey number	TUR-056[1]
Managing agent	Directorate General of Coastal Safety

History

It is told that a marine accident, which occurred near this location, led to the establishment of the lighthouse. In 1755, a merchant sail ship bound for Egypt ran aground off the shore of Kumkapı due to bad weather conditions in the night. Hearing of the ship grounding, Ottoman sultan Osman III (reigned 1754–1757) rushed to the scene, where a seaman complained about the lack of a lighthouse there that could provide safe navigation around the hazardous waters. On the sultan's order, a light fueled by olive oil was established by the Kapudan Pasha atop a watchtower of the city's walls at this location.[2]

Ahırkapı Lighthouse

In 1857, Sultan Abdülmecid I (reigned 1839–1861) commissioned the building of a lighthouse, which was constructed by French engineers in Ahırkapı (literally English: Stable Gate) right outside of the city walls south of the Topkapı Palace.[2]

The masonry lighthouse has a conical shape and is painted white with one narrow black horizontal band.[1] To the 26-metre-high (85 ft) tower, a keeper's house is attached.[2]

Initially, the lighthouse was lit by kerosene, however the light source was later replaced by Dalén light using carbide (acetylene gas). Finally, it was electrified. The lighthouse's lantern has a 500mm catadioptric cylindrical lens and a 1,000 W lamp. At a focal height of 36 m (118 ft), it flashes white every 6 seconds, which is visible at a range of 16 nmi (30 km) in the Sea of Marmara.[2]

Ahırkapı Feneri is listed in Turkey under the code "TUR-056" and its radio call sign is TC1ALH.[3] It is operated and maintained by the Coastal Safety Authority (Turkish: Kıyı Emniyeti Genel Müdürlüğü) of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.[1]

Transport

The lighthouse is in walking distance from the Cankurtaran railway station, which is served by the İstanbul-Halkalı Line.

See also

• List of lighthouses in Turkey

References

1. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northwestern Turkey". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
2. "Historical Lighthouses-Ahırkapı Lighthouse". Ministry of Transport-Directorate General of Coastal Safety. Archived from the original on 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
3. "Istanbul Lighthouses On The Air (ILOTA) Award by TCSWAT". TCSWAT. Retrieved 2010-09-18.
4. "Türk Boğazları ve Marmara Denizi'nin Coğrafi Konumu-İstanbul Boğazı" (in Turkish). Denizcilik. Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2010-09-18.

External links

• Directorate General of Coastal Safety

The Ahırkapı Lighthouse by Michael Zeno Diemer (1907)