Name and Location

The Yenikalsky Lighthouse, also known locally as "the Yenikale light", is located on the eastern shore of the Kerch Strait (Black Sea entrance), near the historic fortress of Yenikale in Crimea. The coordinates are 45°23′07″ N, 36°38′20″ E.

2. Construction and History

The construction date of the lighthouse is not firmly recorded in public sources, but it is presumed to have been built in the mid-20th century. There have been no major rebuilds or restorations documented; instead, the lighthouse has presumably continued operation under successive administrations.

3. Architecture and Materials

The structure type is a seawall/headland light, with a focal plane height of 123 ft (approximately 37.5 m) above mean sea level. The tower height is not officially published. Unfortunately, no information on construction materials or tower details is available in the provided sources.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse exhibits a group-flashing characteristic in three sectors: a group of three white flashes every 14 seconds in bearings 159°-234° and 309.5°-39.5°, visible to 27 nautical miles; a group of three red flashes every 14 seconds in the sector 234°-309.5°, visible to 20 nautical miles; and a flash sequence (all sectors) of 0.3 seconds flash + 2.6 seconds eclipse, 0.3 seconds flash + 2.6 seconds eclipse, 0.3 seconds flash + 7.9 seconds eclipse.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is not open to the public; it is located within an active maritime safety zone. Visitors can only access the site by appointment only (if permitted) via the Kerch harbour authority. The best viewpoint is from passing vessels or the nearby shoreline road.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the surrounding area, visitors can enjoy views of the historic fortress of Yenikale (16th century Ottoman bastion), about 2 km north, as well as coastal roads linking Kerch and Feodosia with occasional pull-outs offering sea views. Migratory birds and seals also pass through the Kerch Strait.

7. Further Information

IHO-compliant chart reference: E 5422 (Russian chart numbering). OpenSeaMap/OceanBase seamark:type=light_major, seamark:name=Yenikal’skiy lighthouse. Further reading: Russian Sailing Directions, Black Sea Pilot (vol. II), and ru:Еникальский_маяк on Wikipedia.