Grand-Bassam Lightouse, Colonial lighthouse in Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire.
The Grand-Bassam Lighthouse is a round masonry tower between 17 and 24 metres tall, built in the military style of its era. It stands 1,500 metres north of the ocean wharf landing in Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire.
Construction of the lighthouse began in December 1913 and was completed in February 1914; it was commissioned in March 1915, replacing a fixed light on a metal tower installed in 1901. It stopped operating in 1951 when the Port-Bouët lighthouse in Abidjan was built. On 1 July 2012 it was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List together with the town of Grand-Bassam.
The lighthouse is a stop on the UNESCO World Heritage listing of Grand-Bassam, inscribed on 1 July 2012 together with the town. Its light, a white flash every 5 seconds reaching 18 nautical miles, guided ships toward the wharf landing 1,500 metres to the south until 1951.
The tower stands 1,500 metres north of the landing stage of the ocean wharf, so it can be reached on foot along the coastal road from the wharf area. It is a round masonry tower typical of the military architecture of its period, and the structure is viewed from outside.
The lighthouse replaced a fixed light on a metal tower installed in 1901, and its own light went out in 1951 when the Port-Bouët lighthouse at Abidjan took over. It stands 1,500 metres north of the landing stage of the ocean wharf.
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