Yeni Kale Lighthouse

Yeni Kale Lighthouse

Yeni Kale Lighthouse
Crimea
Location Kerch
Crimea
Coordinates 45°23′08″N 36°38′20″E / 45.385632°N 36.638835°E / 45.385632; 36.638835Coordinates: 45°23′08″N 36°38′20″E / 45.385632°N 36.638835°E / 45.385632; 36.638835
Year first constructed 1820 (first)
1861 (second)
Year first lit 1953 (current)
Construction stone tower
Tower shape cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markings / pattern white tower and lantern
Height 27 metres (89 ft)
Focal height 123 metres (404 ft)
Characteristic Fl WR 12s.
Admiralty number E5422
NGA number 18560
ARLHS number UKR-009
Managing agent Gosgidrografiya[1]

The Yeni Kale Lighthouse (Russian: Еникальский маяк, Yenikal'sky mayak) — is an active lighthouse on Cape Fonar near Yeni-Kale fortress in eastern Crimea on the shore of Kerch Strait. Navigation cressets on this coast were first mentioned in the Periplus of Scylax, dated 350 BC.

History

Cape Fonar

In 1820 a lighthouse tower was built on the top of Cape Fonar to guide ships navigating from the Sea of Azov to Kerch Strait. Oil lamps were used as a light source. In 1861 Fresnel lens with kerosene lamps were installed.[2]

Until the Second World War the Yeni Kale Lighthouse was considered as the oldest lighthouse in Crimea. In 1941, during World War II, the lighthouse equipment was evacuated to Taman coast by light-house keeper Mikhail Egorov. In May 1942 a battle between retreating Red Army and Nazi Germany took place in Cape Fonar area. Alexander Filimonov, a Soviet mariner, aimed the fire of Russian batteries. When German tanks appeared near the lighthouse, a flag was risen on the tower targeting the Soviet fire from the Chushka Spit. The tower got destroyed in this battle and hydrographers besieged in the lighthouse died. In 1943 a temporary light was installed on lighthouse ruins. When Kerch was liberated from German troops in April 1944, the lighthouse equipment was returned.[3]

After the war a provisional wooden tower was constructed in 1946. It was replaced with an electric-powered lighthouse with a modern stone tower in 1953. EMV-3 optical system was installed on the Yenikalsky Lighthouse in 1957. The lighthouse was equipped with a modern GLONASS-GPS system in 2002.[4]

See also


References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Yenikalsky Lighthouse.
  1. ↑ Yenikal'skiy The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved April 22, 2016
  2. ↑ "Свет в Керченском проливе" Моряк
  3. ↑ "Вот одна из таких историй" "Графская пристань"
  4. ↑ "Мыс Фонарь"Ai-Petri.info - путеводитель по Крыму
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