Name and Location

The Batticaloa Lighthouse is a historic navigational aid located at the mouth of the Batticaloa Lagoon, on the eastern coast of Sri Lanka. Its official address is Lighthouse Road (B46), Palaminmadu, Batticaloa, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka.

Construction and History

The Batticaloa Lighthouse was constructed in 1913 during the British colonial period in Ceylon. It has been guiding vessels since its completion and remains under the management of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority. There are no reliable records of an earlier lighthouse on this site; the 1913 tower appears to be the original structure still standing today.

Architecture and Materials

The Batticaloa Lighthouse is a plastered masonry structure with a concrete roof, built directly on coastal ground protected by a low concrete plinth. It stands 28 meters above base level and has a cylindrical shape with no official documentation of taper or gallery levels.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse is an active aid to navigation, but details of its lantern apparatus (type of optic, power source, and characteristic flash pattern) are not publicly recorded. Vessels rely on Sri Lanka Ports Authority publications for up-to-date light lists.

Accessibility and Visiting

The site is reachable by road from central Batticaloa (approximately 6 km). Public entry into the tower is generally restricted; visitors may view the structure from outside.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features a sandy shoreline, rocky groynes framing the channel entrance. To the south lies the Batticaloa Lagoon, to the north the open sea. Fishing boats and small barges often moor nearby.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local fishermen say the light can be seen faintly across the lagoon on clear nights, helping them return home even when dense sea mist rolls in. During the civil conflict, the tower was occasionally used as an observation post—no structural damage is documented.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse appears to be fully automated. Its operational details, including light range and characteristic, are not publicly recorded; vessels rely on Sri Lanka Ports Authority publications for up-to-date information.

Further Information

For further information, please refer to the Sri Lanka Ports Authority's annual publication "List of Aids to Navigation," or visit the Wikipedia page on Batticaloa Lighthouse.