Lighthouses of Greece: Aegean Islands

The nation of Greece occupies a complex peninsula at the southeastern corner of Europe plus a large number of islands in the Aegean Sea to the east and the Ionian Sea to the west. The name Greece is of Roman origin (Graecia in Latin); the historic name of the country is Hellas (Ἑλλάς) and its official name is the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Ellinikí Demokratía).

The modern Greek nation is a relatively recent creation. After several centuries of rule by the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire, southern Greece won its independence in a bitter struggle during the 1820s. The new Greek nation controlled the Cyclades but none of the other islands of the Aegean. They were added at various times as indicated in the notes below for the different island groups.

This page covers lighthouses of the many Greek islands of the central and eastern Aegean Sea. These islands fall into three broad groups. First, the Cyclades include a large number of smaller islands southeast of Athens and north of Crete. Second, the Dodecanese Islands include the large island of Rhodes and many smaller islands of the southeastern Aegean. Finally there are the larger islands lying off the Turkish coast in the northeastern Aegean, including Lesbos, Chios, and Samos.

Greece is divided into thirteen administrative regions called periferies (περιφέρειες). The Cyclades and Dodecanese comprise the South Aegean Region; Lemnos, Lesbos, Chios, Samos, and Ikaria form the North Aegean Region. The periferies are subdivided into districts called regional units (enótites, ενότητες).

Crete has a separate page. The Sporades, islands located in the northwestern corner of the Aegean, are a regional unit of the Thessaly Region and are included on the Northern Greece page. Euboea, a large island very close to the mainland, is a district of the Central Greece Region and is also included on the Northern Greece page. Kithera and Antikithera, located at the southwestern entrance to the Aegean, are a municipality of the Attica Region and are included on the Southern Greece page.

The Greek word for a lighthouse, pháros or fáros (φάρος), is the root for the words for lighthouse in many Western European languages. In Greek nisi is an island, ýfalos is a shoal or reef, akrotíri or ákra is a cape or headland, kolpós is a bay or gulf, ekvolí is an estuary, potámi is a river, and limáni is a port or harbor. In Greek the Aegean Sea is Aigaío Pélagos (Αιγαίο Πέλαγος).

Lighthouses in Greece are maintained by the Hellenic Navy Lighthouse Service.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume N of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

General Sources
Lighthouses of Greece
A comprehensive site posted by amateur radio operator Pavlidis Savas (SV2AEL); it includes data and photos for 120 traditional Greek lighthouses.
Lighthouse Service - Photographs
A large collection of unlabeled (!) photos of lighthouses.
Online List of Lights - Greece
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas.
Greece Lighthouses
Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses in Greece
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Greece
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Leuchttürme an der griechischen Küste
Photos by various photographers posted by Bernd Claußen.
Weitere Europäische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart information for the Aegean.


Spathi Light, Sérifos, May 2008
ex-Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dimitris Tsapelas


Íos Light, Íos, May 2014
ex-Panoramio Creative Commons photo by apodrasi

South Aegean Region: Lighthouses of the Northern Cyclades

Ándros District Lighthouses
Ándros is the largest and northernmost of the Cyclades. Located only 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Euboea, it is about 40 km (25 mi) long and as much as 16 km (10 mi) wide. The permanent population is about 9000.

*
Gávrio (Ákra Kastrí) (1)
1874. Inactive for many years. 8 m (26 ft) stone tower rising from the seaward end of a ruined stone keeper's house. Trabas has a photo, Demetrios Milas has a 2023 photo, a 2013 photo is available and Google has a satellite view. Clearly endangered. According to Savas the lighthouse had a focal plane of 96 meters, and this seems reasonable based on the Google imagery. Located atop a steep hill on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Gávrio, the principal port of Ándros, near the northwestern end of the island. Savas says the lighthouse is accessible by road from Gávrio, although the terrain looks quite rough. Site open, tower closed.
* Gávrio (Ákra Kastrí) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); white flash every 6 s. 11 m (36 ft) square skeletal tower painted white. Trabas has a photo and Petros Politis has a 2022 photo. Located next to the historic lighthouse. ARLHS GRE-070; Admiralty N4332; NGA 15656.
* Fasa (Ákra Fássa)
1856. Active; focal plane 201 m (659 ft); white flash every 10 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome green. A 2011 photo is available, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's photo, Wioletta Kozłowska has a 2022 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Endangered: Daniel Chirila's 2019 photo and a 2021 photo show the lighthouse to be in increasingly poor condition. The lighthouse guides vessels through the strait, about 10 km (6 mi) wide, that separates Ándros from Évvoia (Euboea). Located near the western tip of Ándros, about 15 km (9 mi) north northwest of Gávrio. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-064; Admiralty N4330; NGA 15672.
* Griá
1914. Active; focal plane 86 m (282 ft); white flash every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted, the lantern is painted white with a green dome, and the keeper's house is painted white. Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's closeup photo, Nicholas Exadaktylos has a 2017 photo, the Navy has a photo, Nikos Zafash has a 2022 closeup of the light tower, and Google has a satellite view. Although it is rather remote, this lighthouse deserves to be better known. Located on a spectacular promontory on the north side of Ándros, about 5 km (3 mi) north of Ándros Chóra. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-072; Admiralty N4338; NGA 15676.
Tourlitis (Turlitis, Ándros Chóra)
1887. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 7 m (23 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone; lantern painted white. Michael Kalafatas has the 2021 photo seen at right, Giovanni Milardi has a 2023 photo, a 2008 photo is available, the Navy has a photo, Anton Flo has a more distant view, and Google has a satellite view. This location of this lighthouse, perched on an isolated rock, is unique among Greek lighthouses. There are no keeper's quarters; stairs cut into the rock lead down to a crude landing site. Since Ándros Chóra is a frequent stop for cruise ships, photos of the lighthouse are fairly common. It's also a very common subject for lighthouse calendar pages. Located on a rock in the harbor of Ándros Chóra on the east coast of Ándros. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-127; Admiralty N4334; NGA 15680.

Tourlitis Light, Ándros Chóra, March 2021
Google Maps photo by Michael Kalafatas

Tínos District Lighthouses

Tínos is located immediately southeast of Ándros, the two islands being separated by a strait about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) wide. The island is about 20 km (13 mi) long and has a population of about 8000. Unfortunately, none of the island's three lighthouses is readily accessible.
* Liváda
1910. Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); one long (1.5 s) white flash every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the front of a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white. John Georgiou has a distant view, a 2023 closeup is available, the Navy has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was endangered for many years. Alexander Pagidas has an October 2005 photo showing the lighthouse in very poor condition. An August 2007 photo shows some evidence of repairs, but the lighthouse is in terrible shape in a 2017 photo by Aris Kokkas and a 2018 street view by Kosmas Sklavos. Fortunately Fabio Ceschel's 2021 photo shows that the building has been repaired and is now in fairly good condition. Located at the end of a spectacular narrow promontory at the northeastern corner of Tínos, near the village of Liváda. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-090; Admiralty N4322; NGA 15744.
Planítis (Pánormos) (1)
1886. Inactive. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with gallery, unpainted, attached to the ruins of a 1-story stone keeper's house. The active light (focal plane 80 m (262 ft); two white flashes every 14 s) is on a square skeletal tower in front of the historic lighthouse. Mike Karamalis has a 2021 photo, Giorgos Russos has a photo, Trabas has Philippe Le Bret's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Critically endangered. Planítis is an island sheltering the north side of the bay of Pánormos, on the north coast of Tínos. Accessible only by boat. Site apparently open, and the tower is standing open. ARLHS GRE-109. Active light: Admiralty N4320; NGA 15738.
Dísvato
1903. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome. Darlene Chisholm's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Giorgos Russos has a photo, Markus Wimmer has a view from the sea, the Navy has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island off the northwestern tip of Tínos, the lighthouse guides ships through the Tínos-Ándros Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-062; Admiralty N4318; NGA 15736.


Disvato Light, Tínos
photo copyright Darlene Chisholm; used by permission


Míkonos (Mykonos) District Lighthouses
Míkonos lies at the southeastern end of the ridge that also includes Tínos and Ándros. It has a population of about 10,000 and is one of the best known tourist attractions of the Aegean, known for its beaches and jetset villas.
** Armenistís
1891. Active; focal plane 184 m (604 ft); white flash every 10 s. 19 m (62 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome. A photo by Katie Wells is at right, Trabas has Egidio Ferrighi's photo, Ana Mariño has a 2019 photo, a 2008 photo is available, the Navy has a photo, David Troya has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Amy Neeson's November 2007 photo showed a lighthouse in need of paint and restoration; there has been some improvement since that time. Perched spectacularly above the sea with a fine view of Tínos, this lighthouse is a popular tourist attraction. However, local TV has a video documenting sad deterioration inside the building. Located on the northwestern tip of Míkonos, about 6 km (3.5 mi) north of Míkonos Chóra. Accessible by road. Site open and the TV crew found the tower stanidng open. . ARLHS GRE-043; Admiralty N4302; NGA 15804.
** Armenistís (lens and replica lantern)
The original 2nd order Fresnel lens of the Armenistís lighthouse is displayed in a replica lantern in the garden of the Aegean Maritime Museum in Míkonos Chóra, the principal town of the island. Wikimedia has a closeup photo and Google has a satellite view. Site and museum open, tower closed.

Síros (Syros) District Lighthouses
Síros occupies a strategic position in the center of the Cyclades, east of Kéa, southwest of Tínos, and west of Míkonos. Ermoupoli (Hermoupolis) is the principal town of the island.

Ákra Trímeson
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); two white flashes every 14 s. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted white. Christos Pappis has a closeup photo, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the northern tip of Síros. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4312; NGA 15704.

Armenistís Light, Míkonos, July 2022
Google Maps photo by Katie Wells
Gaiduronísi (Dhidhimi, Nisída Gáïdaros)
1834. Active; focal plane 68 m (223 ft); white flash every 6 s. 29 m (95 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted white stone; lantern painted white. A 2015 closeup photo is available, Trabas has a photo, Christos Kazantzoglou has a 2021 drone view, the Navy has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Built by French engineers for the Ottoman Empire, this is the tallest Greek lighthouse. Located on an island about 3 km (2 mi) east of Ermoúpolis, Síros. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-069; Admiralty N4308; NGA 15708.

Kéa-Kythnos District Lighthouses
Kéa is the closest of the Cyclades to Athens, being located about 16 km (10 mi) southeast of Cape Soúnion. The island is 19 km (12 mi) long and thinly populated by about 1800 people. It is accessible by ferry from Lavrió. Kythnos is an island south of Kéa and west of Síros. It is thinly populated with about 1500 residents.
Makronisos (Makronisi, Akra Angalistros)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 14 s. 6 m (20 ft) round lantern, painted white and mounted on a square stone base. Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo, Giorgos Roussos has a photo, Jean-Baptiste Bousquet has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Makronisos is an island just off Cape Sounion, the southern tip of the Attic mainland. Despite its proximity to the mainland it is governed within the municipality of Kea. Located at the southern tip of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4204; NGA 15608.
* Ágios Nikólaos (Kéa)
1831. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 8 m (26 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome green. A photo by Dimitris Tsapelas is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, Leonidas Koukoulomatis has a 2021 photo, Sarala Kron has a September 2006 photo, Claußen also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is the one of the first lighthouses built by the Greek government after Greece won its independence. It appears to have been renovated recently. The Orthodox chapel of Ágios Nikólaos (St. Nicholas) is attached to the lighthouse. Note: there is another Ágios Nikólaos lighthouse on Rhodes (see below). Located at the end of a narrow peninsula protecting the north side of the harbor of Vourkarió, the principal port of Kéa, on the northwest side of the island. Site open, tower closed; there are also good views of this lighthouse from ferries arriving in Kéa from Lavrió on the mainland. . ARLHS GRE-050; Admiralty N4212; NGA 15628.

Ágios Nikólaos Light, Kéa, May 2006
ex-Flickr Creative Commons photo by Dimitris Tsapelas
Támelos
1893. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome green. Pavlos Pachiyannis has a 2021 photo, Harm Carrette has a 2017 photo, Irene-Angelica Chounta has a 2009 photo, Teddy Triant has a 2008 photo, Claußen has two photos, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Ákra Támelos, the southern point of Kéa. There is a road to the lighthouse but local guidance may be needed. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-126; Admiralty N4218; NGA 15624.
Ákra Méricha (Ormos Merikha) (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 7 m (23 ft) skeletal tower adjacent to the ruins of the historic stone lighthouse. Trabas has a photo, Harm Carrette has a 2017 photo, Eleni Tsorp has a distant view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland on the north side of the entrance to Méricha, a small port on the west side of Kythnos, an island about 10 km (6 mi) south of Kea. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4224; NGA 15644.

South Aegean Region: Lighthouses of the Southern Cyclades

Mílos District Lighthouses
Southwesternmost of the Cyclades, Mílos is irregularly shaped, about 23 by 13 km (14 by 8 mi), and has a population of about 5200.

*
Spathi (Sérifos)
1901. Active; focal plane 67 m (230 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A photo by Dimitris Tsapelas is at the top of this page, Trabas has Darlene Chisholm's closeup photo, Wikimedia has a closeup, Vangelis Kokolakis has a photo, Yannis Petropoulos has a good 2020 photo, Spyros Dalelis has a 2018 photo, the Navy has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Sérifos is a small island in the western Cyclades, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Mílos. It has a population of about 1400. Located on the southern tip of the island. Accessible by road (4WD recommended). Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-121; Admiralty N4228; NGA 15764.
* Kamáres (Sifnos)
Date unknown. Inactive and abandoned. 7 m (23 ft) skeletal tower mounted on the ruined first story of the historic stone lighthouse. Harm Carrette has a closeup photo and a view from below, and Google has a satellite view. We need information on the history of this lighthouse. Sífnos is an island west of Páros and southeast of Serifos. It has a population of about 2300. Located on a cliff on the south side of the entrance to Kamáres, a port on the northwestern side of the island. Accessible by road (4WD recommended). Site open, tower closed.
Nisída Paximádi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 4 m (13 ft) round white lantern. No photo available but Google has a satellite view. Located atop a small island off the southwestern tip of Milos. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4246; NGA 15888.
Akradhiá (Akradia, Mílos)
1892. Active; focal plane 88 m (289 ft); white flash every 8 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse unpainted; lantern painted white with a gray metallic roof. Trabas has a photo, Alexander Olsson has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Claerly endangered. This lighthouse guides ships approaching the sheltered bay of Mílos, on the north side of the island. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of the town of Mílos. Accessible only by boat and a stiff climb. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-038; Admiralty N4240; NGA 15900.
Ormos Milou (Mílos Harbor)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 5 s. 5 m round cylindrical lantern, painted white. Marco Kohlmann has a closeup photo, Charalampos Petrou has a 2020 photo, Stephanie and Sean Ware have a view from the sea, Trabas has a photo of the light in action, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located atop a promontory sheltering the north side of the harbor of Mílos. Accessible by a hike of about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) from Adamantas, the main port of Mílos. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4242; NGA 15904.
Polýaigos (Políagos, Poliegos)
1898. Active; focal plane 138 m (453 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. Barbaria Psyllisnikos has a closeup photo (also seen at right), Ellen Jurischk has a very distant view, Trabas has a very distant view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse stands at the western edge of a 16 km (10 mi) wide passage between the Mílos group and Folégandros. Polýaigos is an uninhabited island east of Mílos. Located on Ákra Maskula, the southeastern tip of the island of Polýaigos, which is southeast of Kímolos. Accessible only by boat and a stiff climb. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-095; Admiralty N4252; NGA 15920.

Polýaigos Light, Polýaigos, May 2009
Google Maps photo by Barbaria Psyllisniko

Páros District Lighthouses
Located near the center of the Cyclades, Páros is a roughly circular island about 12 km (7.5 mi) in diameter. Páros, on the west coast, and Náousa, on the north, are the principal towns and ports. The island has a population of about 13,000.

Ágios Fokás (3)
Date unknown (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 4 s. 6 m (20 ft) square skeletal tower standing next to the ruins of the historic lighthouse. Light tower painted white. Trabas has a closeup photo, Sebastian Lang has a 2017 photo, a 2022 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The earlier light was a small skeletal tower mounted atop a small stone building. Savas's page has photos of the earlier light and also the current tower. Located on a promontory sheltering the north side of the harbor of Páros. Apparently accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-052; Admiralty N4286; NGA 15824.
* Kórakas (Náousa)
1887. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); one long (2 s) white flash every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. Egidio Ferrighi's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo, a closeup and a 2009 photo are available, the Navy has a photo, and Google has a closeup street view, a distant street view and a satellite view. Note: there is another Kórakas lighthouse on Lésvos (see below). Located on a promontory sheltering the west side of the harbor of Náousa. Accessible by a primitive road (4WD recommended). Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-087; Admiralty N4290; NGA 15836.
Kórakas Light
Kórakas Light, Páros
photo copyright Egidio Ferrighi; used by permission

Náxos District Lighthouses
The largest island of the Cyclades, Náxos has a population of about 20,000.

Ákra Kaloteroúsa
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 147 m (428 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 4.5 m (14 ft) round white lantern. Trabas has a closeup photo by Alfonso Biescas Vignau, Diego Damiani has a 2019 street view, and Google has a satellite view. The lantern is in very poor condition. Located atop Donoúsa, a small, high island off the northwestern tip of Náxos. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4295.5 NGA 15884.
Katapola (Ákra Ágios Ilias)
1882. Inactive. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) round cylindrical stone tower attached to the front of a 1-story stone keeper's house. Trabas has a distant view by Alfonso Biescas Vignau, Tomasz Zarod has a 2021 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Endangered. The active light (focal plane 46 m (151 ft); two white flashes every 10 s) is on a small beacon on the hillside above the old lighthouse. Amorgós is the easternmost of the Cyclades; it has a population of about 400. Located on a promontory on the west side of the island and the north side of the entrance to Katapola, the one port on the island. Site open, tower closed. Active light: Admiralty N4278; NGA 15988.

Thira District Lighthouses
Southernmost of the major Cyclades, Santoríni (officially Thira) is the shattered shell of a much larger island. The islands of the Santoríni group form a circle, the caldera rim of a volcano that exploded around 1600 BCE. Inside the circle the flooded caldera has depths of 400 m (1300 ft) and is one of the best harbors of the Mediterranean. Thíra is the largest island, forming the eastern semicircle of the ring. Spectacularly beautiful, it is one of the most popular destinations of the Aegean islands. The permanent population is about 15,000.
Asprópunta (Folégandros)
1919. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 11 m (36 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A 2008 closeup is available, Aris Skondras has a 2022 photo, Trabas has a closeup of the lantern by Egidio Ferrighi, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was in poor condition in a 2017 photo by Pierpaolo Cianci, but repairs had improved its appearance in a 2018 photo by Francesco Lilli. Folégandros is about 25 km (15 mi) southeast of Mílos; it has a permanent population of about 800. Located on the southwest coast of Folégandros about 3 km (2 mi) west of Áno Meriá. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-044; Admiralty N4256; NGA 15932.
Íos (Ákra Fanari)
1892. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash ever 4 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a small 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome. A photo is at the top of this page, Ryan Tomko has a photo, Trabas has a photo, Lightphotos.net has a view from the sea, David W. Morris has a 2022 view, and Google has a satellite view. Íos has a beautiful natural harbor; in a panoramic photo of the bay the lighthouse can be seen at the end of the promontory on the far side of the harbor entrance. Near the bottom of his home page, Savas writes (2/3 the way down the page) that "in the island of Íos the lighthouse was restored and remains open to the public with the initiative of the local authorities." However, tourist sites for Íos do not mention the lighthouse as an attraction. Íos is a larger island, about 18 km (11 mi) long and 10 km (6 mi) wide, north of Santoríni and south of Páros and Náxos; it has a population of about 1800 and is fairly well known as a tourist destination. Located on Ákra Fanari, on the west side of the Íos harbor entrance. Site open, tower closed. . Active light: Admiralty N4262; NGA 15944.
* Akrotíri
1892. Active; focal plane 100 m (328 ft); white flash every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. 3rd order Fresnel lens. Lighthouse painted white with unpainted stone trim; lantern painted white with a green dome. JenniKate Wallace's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo by Hans-Albert Liebetrau, Wikimedia has a fine photo by Klearchos Kapoutsis, Jessica La Torre has a 2021 photo, Siim Viidu has a good 2007 photo, Lightphotos.net has a view from the sea, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse was built for the Ottoman Empire by a French company, Société Collas et Michel. The lighthouse was automated in 1988. Nicely refurbished, this is one of the best known and most visited lighthouses of the Aegean. Boasting a spectacular view, it is a very popular location for viewing the sunset. Located on Ákra Akrotíri, the southwestern tip of Thíra. Accessible by road; limited parking is available. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-039; Admiralty N4266; NGA 15952.
Akrotiri Light
Akrotíri Light, Santoríni, March 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo
by JenniKate Wallace

South Aegean Region: Lighthouses of the Dodecanese

Ródos (Rhodes) and the smaller islands of the Dodecanese, located in the southeastern corner of the Aegean, remained in the Ottoman Empire until they were seized by Italy in 1912, during the Balkan Wars. After World War I the Treaty of Lausanne confirmed Italian sovereignty in 1923. Following World War II the islands were under British occupation until the United Nations peace treaty with Italy transferred them to Greece in 1947.

Ródos (Rhodes) District Lighthouse
Strogilí Megísti (Ipsili, Strongili, Megísti, Kastelorizo)
1917 (French). Active; focal plane 107 m (351 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome painted green. Claußen has a photo, Evaggelia Karamolegkou has a 2018 closeup, the Navy also has a closeup, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse stands atop a small island 6 km (3.5 mi) southeast of Megísti. Megísti is the ancient name, and now the official name, for the group of three small islands better known for many years as Kastellorizo or Castellorizo. Located only 3 km (2 mi) off the southwestern coast of Turkey, the islands are 110 km (70 mi) east of Rhodes. Megísti is also the name of the largest island. Occupied by French troops in 1915, during World War I, the islands were transferred to Italy by the Treaty of Sèvres in 1921. Administered as part of Italy's Dodecanese Islands colony, the islands were occupied by British troops in 1943 and transferred to Greece with the rest of the Dodecanese in 1947. The lighthouse was built during the French occupation. Located near the southwestern end of the central ridge of the island of Strogilí (also called Ipsili or Strongili), the easternmost island of the group. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-053; Admiralty N5848; NGA 20584.
* Ágios Nikólaos
1863 (Ottoman). Reactivated in 2007; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two long (1.3 s) white flashes every 12 s. 6 m (20 ft) round stone tower with gallery mounted atop the 14th century Fortress of St. Nicholas (Ágios Nikolaus). The lighthouse is unpainted white stone. Sometime after Savas's photos were taken the lantern was removed and the light was moved to a short skeletal tower seen in Claußen's 2005 photo. Sometime in 2007 the lighthouse was restored, as seen in Yehuda Cohen's October 2007 photo. and the skeletal tower was removed. Andrus Vainola has the 2016 photo at right, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's closeup photo, Patricia Fenn has a 2009 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Oleg Andriychuk has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. The fort is one of the fortifications built by the Knights Hospitaller, a crusading military order that ruled the island from 1309 until it was captured by the Ottoman Turks in 1522-23. Note: there is another Ágios Nikólaos lighthouse on Kéa (see above). Located at the end of the main breakwater on the east side of the harbor of Ródos (Rhodes), at the northern tip of the island. Site and fortress open, tower closed. . ARLHS GRE-187; Admiralty N4744; NGA 20416.

Ágios Nikólaos Light, Ródos, May 2016
Google Maps photo by Andrus Vainola
* Prasonísi
1890 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 61 m (200 ft); four white flashes (separated by 5 s) every 30 s. 14 m (46 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome painted green. Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo (also seen at right), Jan Pörtner has a 2021 photo, a good 2006 photo and a more distant 2008 photo are available, Alessandro Jinn Bernasconi has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. This is one of the best known windsurfing locations in Europe. Located on a peninsula (prasonísi) projecting from the southern tip of Ródos (Rhodes). Site open, tower closed. . Admiralty N4756; NGA 20388.

Kárpathos District Lighthouse
Vrachonisída Pláti (Nisis Plati)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); two white flashes every 16 s. Approx. 5 m (16 ft) round white lantern. No photo available but Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This light marks the east side of the Kasos Strait, which separates the Dodecanese Islands from the eastern tip of Crete. Located on Pláti, a small island off the west end of the larger island of Kásos. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4763.5; NGA 20356.

Kos District Lighthouse
Kandeloussa (Kandelioússa, Kandeliusa)
1890 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); white flash every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. A 2022 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island about 18 km (11 mi) south of the southwestern tip of Kos and about 15 km (9 mi) southwest of Nísiros. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-014; Admiralty N4764; NGA 20292.

Kalymnos District Lighthouse
Kalólimnos (Imia) (1)
1864 (Ottoman). Inactive. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The active light (focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 3 s) is on a short skeletal tower in front of the historic tower. The Navy has a good photo, a closeup photo (next to last lighthouse on the page) is available, and Google has a satellite view of the station. A huge Greek flag is painted on the slope below the lighthouse. This lighthouse is on Kalólimnos, a small island in the center of the strait between the Greek island of Kálimnos and Turkey's Bodrum peninsula. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-076. Active light: Admiralty N4708; NGA 20180.

Prasonísi Light, Ródos
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger; used by permission

Lighthouses of the North Aegean Region

Ikaría (Icaria) Lighthouses
Ikaría is the southernmost of the North Aegean islands, located 19 km (12 mi) southwest of Samos and 35 km (22 mi) east of Míkonos. The island is 32 km (20 mi) long and has a population of about 9000.
Ákra Páppas (Papas)
1890 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); one long (1.3 s) white flash every 20 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is green. Konstantinos Lazogiannis has a 2016 closeup photo, Giannis Kisaris has a 2021 photo, Trabas has a photo, a distant view from the sea shows the isolated situation of the station, a 2018 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the broad passage between Ikaría and Míkonos, leading to the central Aegean. Located on Ákra Páppas (Cape Papas), the southwestern tip of the island. The light is not accessible by road, but it may be possible to hike to it. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-103; Admiralty N4690; NGA 20068.
Ákra Armenistís
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern painted white. Trabas has a photo, Prodromos Medros has a 2022 closeup, and Google has a satellite view. See below for the better known Armenistís lighthouse on Míkonos. Located on a rocky headland on the north coast of the island. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4692; NGA 20080.

Chíos District Lighthouses
Chíos, with a population of about 55,000, lies only 5 km (3 mi) off the central east coast of Turkey. Long a center of Greek culture in the Aegean, it is a popular tourist destination. Psará is a much smaller island in the central Aegean about 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Chíos; it has only one settlement with a population of about 400.

Nisída Venétiko (Nisis Venetiko)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 5 m (17 ft) round white lantern mounted on a stone pedestal. Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. Located atop a small island off the southern tip of Chíos. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4648; NGA 19924.
Ágios Georgíos (Kokinopulo, Psará)
1909 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. Manolis Roxanas has the photo at right, Zacharoula Vorria has a 2019 photo, Andreas Sitaras has a closeup, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on Ákra Ágios Georgíos (Cape St. George), the cape at the southeastern corner of Psará. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-054; Admiralty N4632; NGA 19900.
Ágios Georgíos Light
Ágios Georgíos Light, Psara, June 2012
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Manolis Roxanas; used by permission


Vrachonisída Stróvilo
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 73 m (240 ft); white flash every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) round white lantern mounted on a stone pedestal. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located atop a small island off the northeastern tip of Chíos, marking the north end of the narrow passage between Chíos and Oinoússes. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4642; NGA 19946.
Vrachonisída Prasonísia
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 4 m (13 ft) round white lantern mounted on a stone pedestal. Trabas has a photo, Foivian Lee has a very distant view, and Bing has a satellite view. NGA lists the light as "Prasso." Located atop a small island off the western tip of Oinoússes, marking the north end of the narrow passage between Chíos and Oinoússes. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4652; NGA 19952.
Pasás (Oinousés)
1885 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 69 m (226 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 8 m (26 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is painted white; the lantern has a green dome. Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo (also seen at right), Christos Kazantzoglou has a 2017 closeup photo, a 2016 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks a major hazard in the northern end of the Chíos Strait, which separates Chíos from the Turkish coast. Located on a small island off the east end of the larger island of Oinoússes, about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Chíos town and 8 km (5 mi) west of the Turkish coast. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-104; Admiralty N4654; NGA 19968.

Pasás Light, Chíos
photo copyright Capt. Peter Mosselberger; used by permission

Lésbos (Lésvos) District Lighthouses
Very close to the Turkish coast, Lésvos is the largest island of the eastern Aegean and the most populous, with about 83,000 permanent residents. Mitilíni (Mytilene), on the southeast coast, is the capital and largest town of the North Aegean Region. The island was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1462 to 1912.
Mytilíni (Ákra Kástro) (4?)
2007 (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three white flashes every 14 s. 6 m (20 ft) mast mounted on a 1-story concrete equipment building. Building painted white with a red tile roof. Friedrich Leonhardsberger has the 2017 photo seen at right, Wikimedia has a closeup photo by Vivi Georgitziki, Trabas has a photo, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Claußen has 2006 photos of the previous light, a 6 m (20 ft) skeletal tower mounted on the ruins of a 1-1/2 story lighthouse. The original (1863) lighthouse had a higher focal plane and must have been farther from the water. Located on a promontory about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) northeast of the Mitilíni waterfront. Accessible by a short walk from the coastal road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-099; Admiralty N4607; NGA 19756.
* Mytilíni Outer Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); green flash every 3 s. 8 m (26 ft) mast mounted on a 1-story base, all atop a large hexagonal platform supported by pillars. Trabas has a photo, Grigoris Kardogiannis has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Thanos Giannopoulos has a street view of the popular observation area under the platform. Located at the end of the east (outer) breakwater of Mytilini. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4607.6; NGA 19760.
* Mytilíni Inner Harbor
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 1.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) mast attached to a 1-story masonry equipment building. Mast painted white with one red horizontal band; building painted white with a red roof. Trabas has a photo, Panagiotis Kontelis has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short pier on the south side of the entrance to the inner harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4608; NGA 19768.

Mytilini Light, Mytilini, October 2017
Google Maps photo by Friedrich Leonhardsberger
 
*** Megalonísi (Sígri, Meganísi) (2)
1947 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted white concrete; lantern dome painted green. A 2008 photo by Stratos Loukos is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter Mosselberger's photo, Jordan Psomadakis has a 2015 closeup photo, amateur radio operator SZ8LH has a page on a visit to the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Megalonísi (Big Island) is an island sheltering the harbor of Sígri, a port at the western end of Lésbos. The original lighthouse was destroyed by German troops during World War II. Located near the southern end of Megalonísi. The island is accessible by boats that can be hired daily from Sígri except in bad weather. Site open; photos indicate the tower is open for climbing. ARLHS GRE-097; Admiralty N4598; NGA 19732.
* Ákra Mólyvos (Molivos)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, 2.5 s on, 7.5 s off. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted white. A closeup is available, Grace Abarintou has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Ákra Molivos, a promontory on the north coast of Lésbos about 2 km (1.2 mi) northeast of Míthimna; this is only 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Cape Baba, Turkey. Accessible by a short walk from nearby roads. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty N4595; NGA 19740.
Kórakas (Ákra Kórakas, Ákra Skamnia, Sikaminias) (2)
Date unknown (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round lantern, painted white, built in front of a ruined 1-story keeper's house. Filopoimin Malkotsis has a photo, Stratis Skourkeas has a good view from the sea, Christos Chatzitheodorou has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Note: there is another Kórakas lighthouse on Páros (see above). Located on Ákra Kórakas, at the northeastern corner of Lésbos about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Mitilíni. According to Savas, the site is difficult to reach on foot. ARLHS GRE-086; Admiralty N4594; NGA 19752.

Megalonísi Light, Sígri, August 2008
ex-Panoramio photo copyright Stratos Loukos; used by permission

Lémnos (Límnos) District Lighthouses
Lémnos (or Límnos) is a substantial island located in the northeastern Aegean about 65 km (40 mi) west of the entrance to the Dardenelles. The population of the island is about 17,000. Like the other Greek islands of the eastern Aegean, it was part of the Ottoman Empire until captured by Greece during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13. The decisive naval battle of the First Balkan War was fought off Lémnos in January 1913; the Greek victory in that battle opened the way for Greece to occupy Lémnos and many of the other islands controlled by the Ottomans.
Vrachonisída Ágioi Apóstoloi
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) white skeletal tower mounted on a square 1-story concrete equipment shelter. Giannis Borazanis has a distant view and Bing has a distant satellite view. Located atop a small island off the northern tip of Ágios Efstrátios, a smaall island about 30 km (19 mi) southwest of Lémnos. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty N4585; NGA 16924.
* Mírina (Kastro) (1) (?)
1912 (Ottoman). Inactive. 5 m (16 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted atop the walls of an ancient castle. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. According to Savas, this lighthouse is mounted "at the top of the castle." This is a reference to a fort built by Venice, which occupied Límnos during the 16th and early 17th century. The survival of this lighthouse is doubtful; it can't be found in Google satellite imagery or in available photos of the ruined fort. The modern light (focal plane 83 m (272 ft); white flash every 6 s) is mounted atop a 2 m (9 ft) square concrete shelter just inside the castle walls. Trabas has a closeup of that light, Giannis Borazanis also has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-079; Admiralty N4575; NGA 16904.
* Pláka
1912 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); three white flashes every 30 s; in addition, a continuous red light is displayed at 36 m (118 ft). 18 m (59 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. Niki Vanega's photo is at right, Christos Kazantzoglou has a 2013 closeup photo taken before the lighthouse was repainted, Claußen has photos, and Google has a satellite view of the station. Located at the end of a sharp promontory at the northeastern corner of Lémnos, about 3 km (2 mi) north of the village of Pláka. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-107; Admiralty N4572; NGA 16920.
Kombi (1)
1912 (Ottoman). Inactive. 7 m (23 ft) round stone tower with gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lantern removed. The lighthouse is unpainted. Lantern removed. Giwrgos Kiouranakis has a 2023 closeup photo, Valentin Valov has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The modern light (focal plane 61 m (200 ft); two quick white flashes every 6 s) is on a square skeletal tower, painted white. Located atop Kombi, an island just off the west side of the entrance to the bay of Moúdhros, on the south coast of Lémnos. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-083. Active light: Admiralty N4578; NGA 16888.

Pláka Light, Lémnos, August 2018
Google Maps photo by Niki Vanega

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Northern Greece | East: Western Turkey | Southeast: Southern Turkey | South: Crete | West: Southern Greece

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted December 31, 2006. Checked and revised October 9, 2023. Lighthouses: 50. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.