Waglan Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse on Waglan Island, Hong Kong.
Waglan Lighthouse is a white cylindrical structure with a red band beneath its balcony, rising about 16 meters above the rocky island. The light chamber was once visible from far at sea and served as a key navigation aid for passing ships.
The lighthouse was built in 1893 by the Chinese Maritime Customs Service to guide vessels through regional waters. Following the 1901 lease of the New Territories, British administration took control of the facility.
The lighthouse brought together European and Chinese workers who shared duties maintaining the light in rotating shifts on the isolated island. Their presence created a small, mixed community far from the mainland, where cooperation was essential for survival.
The lighthouse sits on a remote and rocky island that is difficult to access and now operates automatically. Visitors typically cannot reach the island due to safety regulations and its isolated location.
The lighthouse was equipped with one of only two mercury-based rotating light systems found anywhere in Asia at that time. This rare technical system allowed particularly effective and reliable light signaling for ships at sea.
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