Old Colombo Lighthouse

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Old Colombo Lighthouse

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Old Colombo Lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse at Chatham Street intersection, Colombo Fort, Sri Lanka.

The white stone tower rises 29 meters above Colombo Fort, featuring a central clock mechanism and glass panels that previously guided ships at sea.

Built in 1857 under Governor Henry Ward's administration, the structure replaced an earlier 1829 lighthouse and operated until deactivation in 1952.

The tower's clock mechanism, created by the same manufacturers as London's Big Ben, demonstrates British engineering influence in colonial Sri Lanka.

The structure contains three bells weighing over 150 kilograms each and maintains its role as a timekeeper at the junction of Chatham Street.

The tower's light beam reached 16 miles into the Indian Ocean through specialized tiled glass patterns that enhanced the illumination's intensity.

GPS coordinates: 6.93472,79.84280

Latest update: March 10, 2025 10:24

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« Old Colombo Lighthouse - Maritime lighthouse at Chatham Street intersection, Colombo Fort, Sri Lanka » is provided by Around Us (aroundus.com). Images and texts are derived from Wikimedia project under a Creative Commons license. You are allowed to copy, distribute, and modify copies of this page, under the conditions set by the license, as long as this note is clearly visible.

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