# Calais Lighthouse

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Calais_Lighthouse
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Calais_Lighthouse.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calais_Lighthouse
> Source revision: 1351822701
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Lighthouse in Hauts-de-France, France

Lighthouse

Calais Lighthouse Phare de Calais Lighthouse located in the streets of Calais. Location Calais, Hauts-de-France France Coordinates 50°57′41″N 1°51′13″E / 50.961360°N 1.853622°E / 50.961360; 1.853622 Tower Constructed 1848 Construction masonry tower Automated 1987 Height 55 m (180 ft) Shape octagonal tower Power source vegetable oil, mineral oil, electricity Heritage classified historical monument, monument historique inscrit Light First lit 15 October 1848 Focal height 59.8 m (196 ft) Lens Halogen 250 MM Rotating Range 23.5 nautical miles (43.5 km) Characteristic Fl (4) W 15s.

**Calais Lighthouse** (French: *Phare de Calais*) is located in [Calais](/source/Calais) in [Pas-de-Calais](/source/Pas-de-Calais).[1] The Lighthouse is located in the residential streets near the [Port of Calais](/source/Port_of_Calais) and is a significant landmark as well as a navigational aid to [ships](/source/Ships) and [ferries](/source/Ferries) using the [Straits of Dover](/source/Straits_of_Dover).

## History

There was a beacon at the summit of the watchtower from 1818. [King Louis-Philippe](/source/Louis_Philippe_I) in his plans to improve French ports decided the construction of a first-class lighthouse in Calais. This lighthouse started operating in 1848 and was electrified in 1883. After escaping the destruction of the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War) it was automated in 1987.[2] The Calais lighthouse is classified as a French [Monument historique](/source/Monument_historique) since 19/04/2011.[3]

## Description

The lighthouse is 53m high, its tower is octagonal outside and round inside with walls 1.90m at the base and 1.50m at the summit. The foundations descend 7.40m under the cellars. The staircase has 271 steps leading up to the lantern. The central light of the lighthouse is permanent and the lantern, whose panels shut off the light, turns around the light, giving 4 flashes of 2/10th of a second every 15 seconds.[4]

## See also

- [France portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:France)

- [List of lighthouses in France](/source/List_of_lighthouses_in_France)

## References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Phare de Calais](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Phare_de_Calais).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Rowlett, Russ. ["Lighthouses of France: North Coast"](https://www.ibiblio.org/lighthouse/fran.htm). *The Lighthouse Directory*. [University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill](/source/University_of_North_Carolina_at_Chapel_Hill). Retrieved January 24, 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Phares de France, Xavier Mével, Editions France Loisirs

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Mérimée_3-0)** [Base Mérimée](/source/Base_M%C3%A9rim%C3%A9e): [Phare de Calais](https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/PA62000123), Ministère français de la Culture. (in French)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Sign at the base of the tower: [https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lighthouse_Calais_sign.JPG](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lighthouse_Calais_sign.JPG)

Authority control databases Geographic Mérimée 2 Structurae ARLHS OLL Admiralty: A1144 NGA MarineTraffic Other Kulturenvanteri monument

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Calais Lighthouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calais_Lighthouse) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calais_Lighthouse?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.