Yeşilköy Feneri

Yeşilköy Feneri is a historical lighthouse still in use located on the northern coast of Sea of Marmara at Yeşilyurt neighborhood (once part of Yeşilköy) in Istanbul's Bakırköy district, Turkey.[3] [7]

Yeşilköy Feneri
Ayostefanos Feneri
LocationYeşilköy
Istanbul
Turkey
Coordinates40°57′30″N 28°50′21″E
Tower
Constructed1856[1]
Constructionstone tower
Height16 m (52 ft)[2]
Shapeoctagonal prism prism tower centered on the keeper's house[2]
Markingswhite tower[3]
Fog signalblast every 30s.[4][5]
Light
First lit1857[6]
Focal height23 m (75 ft)[2]
Lens500mm catadioptric cylindrical lens[2]
Intensity500 W[2]
Range15 nmi (28 km)[2][4][5]
CharacteristicFl W 10s.[1][5]

History

Built in 1856, it was initially called Ayostefanos Feneri (Hagios Stefanos Lighthouse) after the suburb's former name.[2][5]

The lighthouse was commissioned by the Ottoman sultan Abdülmecid I (reigned 1839–1861) in order to provide safe navigation around the shallow waters before the Yeşilköy Point for ships plying the northwestern coast of the Sea of Marmara towards Istanbul.[5] It is situated roughly 14 km (8.7 mi) to the southwest of the southern entrance to the Bosporus.[2]

It was built by French engineers in 1856 in the form of a masonry octagonal prism with two stages. Since the ground at the location is not elevated enough from the sea level, the 16 m (52 ft) tower was constructed on a platform, enabling a focal height of 23 m (75 ft).[2] The structure is painted entirely white.[3] A two-story outbuilding is annexed, that was used as the keeper's living quarters and for administrative purposes. A gallery encircles the tower's lantern room. Atop the tower's cupola, a flag post is erected.[4]

Yeşilköy Lighthouse went in service on January 5, 1857.[6] Initially, it was lit by kerosene, but was later replaced by a Dalén light using carbide (acetylene gas). Nowadays, the light runs on electricity. The lighthouse's lantern has a 500mm catadioptric cylindrical lens and a 500 W light source that flashes every 10 seconds in group. Its white light is visible at a range of 15 nmi (28 km). In foggy conditions, a foghorn sounds every 30 seconds to warn of the hazardous area.[2][4][5]

The lighthouse is listed in Turkey under the code "TUR 055" and its radio call sign is TC1YLH.[8] It is maintained by the Coastal Safety Authority (Turkish: Kıyı Emniyeti Genel Müdürlüğü) of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.[2] The lighthouse underwent restoration in the years 1945, 1971 and 1988.[5]

The outbuilding of the lighthouse was converted into a fish and seafood restaurant, which can host 100 guests in the main hall and 40 people in the conservatory. Furthermore, 150 customers can dine on an open-air terrace in the summer months.[9]

See also

References
  1. Toroslu, M. Vefa. "Denizciye Göz Kırpan Sevdalar-Debiz Fenerleri" (PDF) (in Turkish). DTO İzmir. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  2. "Historical Lighthouses-Yeşilköy Lighthouse". Ministry of Transport-Directorate General of Coastal Safety. Archived from the original on 2009-09-08. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  3. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northwestern Turkey". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  4. "Yeşilköy Feneri". Kent Haber (in Turkish). 2009-06-03. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  5. "Yeşilköy" (in Turkish). istanbul.com. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  6. "Deniz Fenerleri-Yeşilköy Feneri" (in Turkish). Balılçı Forum. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  7. fenerlokantasi.com
  8. "Marmara Lighthouses On The Air (MLOTA) Award by TCSWAT" (PDF). TCSWAT. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-05-25. Retrieved 2010-09-15.
  9. "Fener Lokantası" (in Turkish). hangirestoran.com. Archived from the original on 2012-03-12. Retrieved 2014-09-29.
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