Kaohsiung Lighthouse

Kaohsiung Lighthouse
Location	Cijin, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Coordinates	22°36′56″N 120°15′54″E / 22.615417°N 120.264944°E
Tower
Constructed	1883
Construction	masonry tower
Height	15.2 metres (50 ft)
Shape	octagonal tower with balcony and lantern
Markings	white tower, black lantern dome and rail
Power source	mains electricity
Operator	Maritime and Port Bureau
Heritage	historic site
Light
First lit	1918 (restored)
Focal height	58.2 metres (191 ft)
Intensity	850,000 candela
Range	25.2 nautical miles (46.7 km; 29.0 mi)
Characteristic	Fl (4) W 30s.

The Kaohsiung Lighthouse (traditional Chinese: 高雄燈塔; simplified Chinese: 高雄灯塔; pinyin: Gāoxióng Dēngtǎ; Wade–Giles: Kao¹-hsiung² Têng¹-tʻa³), also called Cihou Lighthouse^[3] (Chinese: 旗後燈塔; Hanyu Pinyin: Qíhòu Dēngtǎ; Tongyong Pinyin: Cíhòu Dengtǎ) or Cijin Lighthouse^[4] (Chinese: 旗津燈塔; Hanyu Pinyin: Qíjīn Dēngtǎ; Tongyong Pinyin: Cíjin Dengtǎ), is a lighthouse in Cijin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.^[5]^[6]

History

After the signing of Convention of Peking in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty rule, the Takau Harbor was opened to foreign traders in 1863. With increasing commercial shipping activities and a lack of a proper ship navigation system, the British engineers built a Chinese-style rectangular red-brick lighthouse at the top of Mount Ki-au (旗後山), at the southern side of the harbor.

During the Japanese rule, in line with the expansion of the harbor, the lighthouse was rebuilt in 1916 as part of the project. It underwent renovation in 1918 to what it looks like today. The base of the lighthouse building was rebuilt in Baroque style.

In 1985, the lighthouse was designated a Historical Building and subsequently opened to the public.