Hook Lighthouse, Medieval lighthouse at Hook Peninsula, Ireland.
Hook Lighthouse is a medieval tower of limestone standing on the Hook Peninsula in Ireland, rising 35 meters above sea level. The cylindrical structure displays two circular balconies beneath the lantern housing that crowns the top of the tower.
William Marshal, Earl of Pembroke, commissioned the tower between 1201 and 1240 to guide ships safely into Waterford Harbor. Monks from a local abbey had maintained warning fires at the site for many centuries before the stone tower replaced their vigil.
The name Hook comes from an Old Norse word meaning headland, reflecting its position on the exposed coastline. Fishermen from the area have relied on the tower for centuries as a visible marker for safe passage into the estuary and as guidance when returning from open waters.
Access to the viewing deck at the top requires climbing a spiral staircase of 115 steps inside the thick walls. The light continues to transmit navigation signals so that ships can find their way into the harbor entrance at Waterford.
The structure contains four floors with walls reaching up to 4 meters in thickness, housing three vaulted chambers with rib arches in the lower section. These thick walls give the tower the stability needed to withstand storms and surf for more than eight centuries.
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