Rethymno lighthouse, Lighthouse in Rethymno, Crete, Greece
The Rethymno lighthouse is a round stone tower standing about 30 feet (9 meters) tall at the tip of the old Venetian harbor pier in Rethymno, on the island of Crete. Its outer walls are made of tightly fitted local stone blocks, worn by sea winds, with small rectangular windows set into the sides of the tower.
The lighthouse was built in the 1830s during the period when Egypt held control of Crete, most likely replacing an older Venetian structure that had previously stood on the same spot. In 1864, a French lighthouse company took over its management and continued to operate it for many years.
The lighthouse's slender shape closely resembles a minaret, a detail that reflects the layered history of Crete under different rulers. Visitors walking along the harbor often stop to notice this architectural feature, which sets the tower apart from typical European lighthouses.
The tower is freely accessible from the outside and sits directly on the harbor walkway, making it easy to include on a stroll along the waterfront. The inside is closed for safety reasons, but the exterior and the position at the tip of the pier allow photos from several angles.
Although the lighthouse is often described as Venetian in origin, recent research confirms it was built by Egyptian authorities, making it one of the few surviving Egyptian-built lighthouses in Greece. Its focal plane, the height at which its light would have shone, sat about 160 feet (49 meters) above sea level, far higher than the modest tower itself.
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