Name and Location

The Tolbukhin Lighthouse (Толбухин маяк) is located on the southern shore of the Gulf of Finland in Leningrad Oblast, Russia. Its official coordinates are 60°02′32.9″ N, 29°32′31.1″ E (WGS 84), and its nearest settlements are approximately 15 km west of Kronstadt.

2. Construction and History

The lighthouse was first established in 1810 during the early 19th-century imperial Russian era as part of a chain of gulf-entrance lights to aid vessels bound for St. Petersburg. The name commemorates Marshal F. I. Tolbukhin, although it is likely that the name was assigned in the mid-20th century.

3. Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse features a freestanding cylindrical tower with a gallery and lantern, constructed from masonry (likely brick or stone faced with white stucco). The tower stands at 30 meters tall, with a focal plane height of approximately 29 meters above sea level. The exterior is plain white, with a black lantern roof.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse exhibits an official light reference C 4010 (Admiralty) with a characteristic sequence of «3 + (9)» (group of three long flashes followed by a nine-unit interval), having a period of 12 seconds. The range is approximately 16 nautical miles, and the color is white. Automation is fully automated, with no resident keepers since the late 20th century.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

Access to the lighthouse is limited due to its remote location; there is no road access, and visitors must arrive by private boat or coastal tour vessel. Onsite facilities are non-existent, including a museum or visitor center. Entering the tower is not possible for the general public.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features low-lying rocky shores with patches of coastal pine and spruce, often shrouded in fog during spring months. Visitors are encouraged to bring binoculars for optimal viewing experiences, particularly at sunrise over the Gulf of Finland.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

Local sailors have reportedly seen a «greenish glow» near the lantern on occasion, which has been attributed to phosphorescent plankton or an old kerosene lamp reservoir (unverified). A legend exists that one of the 19th-century keepers kept a diary describing shipwreck survivors he rescued during a fierce autumn storm.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse is managed by the Federal Agency for Sea and River Transport (Ministry of Transport of the Russian Federation) and is recorded as «yes» under OSM tag historic=lighthouse. Chart references include Admiralty List of Lights C4010, US NGA Pub. 116, light list no. 4010, and Russian chart SK15.

9. Further Information

For further reading, refer to the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency's «List of Lights, Radio Aids, and Fog Signals, Pub. 116» (2011), OpenStreetMap entry way/110978195 (man_made=lighthouse, start_date=1810), Russian-language Wikipedia article ru:Толбухин маяк, and Admiralty Sailing Directions, Baltic Sea pilot.

10. Map & Online Resources

For online resources, visit OpenStreetMap at https://www.openstreetmap.org/?mlat=60.042464&mlon=29.541976#map=15/60.0425/29.5420 or Google Maps via plus code 9GGF2GRR+XQ.