Jamestown Lighthouse, Maritime beacon in Jamestown, Greater Accra Region, Ghana.
Jamestown Lighthouse is a cylindrical stone tower about 28 meters tall in the Jamestown district of Accra, Ghana. Its shaft is painted in wide horizontal bands of red and white, with a gallery and a small white lantern room topped by a red dome. At its base stands a white keeper's house with a red-trimmed hipped roof.
The first lighthouse on this site was erected in 1871. Rising maritime traffic led to its replacement, and the present tower was completed in 1932 on the same site and orientation. It stands about 28 m tall, with a focal height of roughly 35 m above sea level, and its light is visible up to 10 nautical miles.
The lighthouse stands in Jamestown, an old fishing neighborhood where boats go out and return daily within sight of the tower. The striped silhouette is a familiar reference point for people who live and work along this stretch of coast.
Getting to the top means climbing a narrow spiral staircase that leads to a viewing platform with views over the harbor and the city. The steps are steep and the space is tight, so take your time on the way up.
The tower emits a specific flashing pattern that sailors use to pinpoint their position along the coast at night. Each lighthouse has its own pattern, and this one is listed in official nautical charts used by ships passing through the Gulf of Guinea.
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