Ahırkapı Lighthouse
Cankurtaran, Kennedy Cad. No:151, 34122 Fatih/İstanbul, Türkiye
Name and Location
Ahırkap�� Lighthouse (Turkish: Ahırkapı Feneri) stands on a low promontory adjacent to Kennedy Avenue, overlooking the Sea of Marmara in Istanbul, Turkey.
2. Construction and History
The construction date and original architect of the lighthouse are not recorded in publicly available sources. It appears on late-19th to early-20th-century nautical surveys of the Ottoman Empire as an observation tower (per seamark data).
3. Architecture and Materials
The structure is a tower-type "observation" installation, likely made of masonry or brick with a painted finish. The tower and lantern are white, modest in height compared with Black and Red lighthouses further east.
4. Light and Navigation
The focal height is 36 meters above mean sea level, with a light range of 16 nautical miles. The characteristic is flashing white, one flash every 6 seconds (0.5 second flash + 5.5 second eclipse). It serves as a coastal aid marking the Bosphorus entrance.
5. Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse stands beside a public roadway and offers unobstructed sea views. While there are no formal visitor facilities, visitors can approach on foot from the tram or bus lines serving Sultanahmet or Sirkeci, then walk south along the waterfront to reach the site.
6. Notable Views and Landscape
The surrounding district of Cankurtaran is one of Istanbul's historic peninsulas, flanked by Topkapı Palace to the east and the old city walls to the north. Visitors can enjoy glimpses of passing Bosphorus traffic, Marmara ferries, and distant Princes' Islands.
8. Technical and Operational Details
The lighthouse is still active as a coastal aid, with no formal heritage designation found in public registers. The managing authority is not officially documented. There are no AIS or marine radar installations at the site.
9. Further Information
For more information, please refer to Wikidata (Q4696460), Wikimedia Commons (Category:Ahırkapı Lighthouse), Turkish Wikipedia (tr:Ahırkapı Feneri), and NGA List (U.S. NGA Pub. 113, Admiralty list E 4903).
Details
| Name | Ahırkapı Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| City | Fatih, İstanbul |
| Country | Türkiye |
| Coordinates | 41.0063129, 28.9854554 |
| Events | shipwrecks |
| Architectural style | observation tower |
| Construction material | masonry, brick |
| Focal height | {"height":36} |
| Access description | Approach on foot from the tram or bus lines serving Sultanahmet or Sirkeci, then a short walk south along the waterfront. |
| Accessible | true |
| View description | Offers unobstructed sea views and glimpses of passing Bosphorus traffic, Marmara ferries, and distant Princes’ Islands. |
| Facilities | {} |
| Nearby attractions | Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, Sultanahmet Square, the ancient city walls |
| AIS Radar | false |
| Light characteristic | Fl W 6s |
| Light range | {"range":16} |
| Automated | true |