Jaffa Light, Lighthouse in Jaffa Port, Tel Aviv, Israel
Jaffa Light is a cylindrical concrete tower in the port area with distinctive red and white horizontal stripes that reach about 29 meters high. Its painted bands make it visible from far across the sea, marking the harbor's edge as a recognizable landmark.
French engineers built this navigational structure in 1865 under Ottoman rule to support the expanding citrus export trade through the port. It marked a period when modern infrastructure was being added to improve maritime commerce in the region.
An Armenian family from Jerusalem kept the light operating across three generations, becoming part of Jaffa's port community for over nine decades. Their presence connected the lighthouse to the neighborhood's daily rhythm and local memory.
The lighthouse sits in the center of Jaffa's old port and is easy to reach by walking through the historic streets down to the water. Visit during daylight hours to see its painted stripes clearly and take in the full view of the harbor surroundings.
When the port operations shifted to a new facility in 1966, the light's glass optic system was relocated to the lighthouse at Ashdod and put back to use. This repurposing shows how maritime infrastructure was adapted as shipping centers moved along the coast.
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