Lighthouses of Sri Lanka

The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, formerly called Ceylon, is a teardrop-shaped island nation off the southeastern tip of the Indian subcontinent. Portugal and Holland had early settlements on the island but Britain took charge in 1796 and retained control until 1948. The country began independence as the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948 and changed its name and status to become the Republic of Sri Lanka in 1972.

The island is roughly 400 km (250 mi) long from north to south and 200 km (125 mi) wide. Colombo, on the southwest coast, is the capital and major port. Trincomalee, on the east coast, has a magnificent harbor and was a major Indian Ocean base for the British Royal Navy until 1956. A new port is being developed at Hambantota on the south coast.

Beginning in the early 1980s Sri Lanka was torn in an insurrection in the Tamil-speaking northern part of the island. The government finally extinguished the revolt in May 2009. However, some areas in the north continued to be restricted or unsafe and several lighthouses in contested zones deteriorated from years of neglect during the fighting.

The great tsunami of 26 December 2004 devastated low-lying areas of Sri Lanka, especially on the east coast. No lighthouses were destroyed but many were damaged by the great waves.

Sinhala is the majority language of Sri Lanka but the language of the Tamil minority is also official. In addition English continues to be widely used for official and commercial purposes. In Sinhala the word for a lighthouse is pradīpāgāraya (ප්රදීපාගාරය); divayina is an island, gan̆ga is a river, and varāya is a harbor. In Tamil the word for a lighthouse is kalaṅkarai (கலங்கரை); tīvu is an island, nati is a river, and tuṟaimukam is a harbor.

Lighthouses of Sri Lanka are operated and maintained by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume F of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 112.

General Sources
Sri Lanka Attractions: Lighthouses
Information and small photos posted by the tourist site AmazingLanka.com.
Luechttürme in Sri Lanka
Photos by Andreas Köhler.
Lighthouses of Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1964
Photos contributed by David Meare.
Lighthouses in Sri Lanka
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Sri Lanka
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Online List of Lights - Sri Lanka
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Most of the photos for Sri Lanka are by Douglas Cameron or Jim Smith.
Leuchttürme Asiens auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNauticalCharts
Navigational chart for Sri Lanka.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart for Sri Lanka.
Dondra Head Light
Dondra Head Light, Dondra, December 2009
photo copyright Andreas Köhler; used by permission
Northern Province (Palk Bay and Palk Strait) Lighthouses
The strait separating India and Sri Lanka, known in Tamil as Sethusamudram ("sea bridge") and in Sinhala as Pok Samudra Sandhiya, is crossed by a chain of reefs and islands called Adam's Bridge (also called Rama's Bridge, or Rama Setu in Tamil). North of Adam's Bridge, the strait is a shallow embayment called Palk Bay or Palk Strait. South of Adam's Bridge is a much deeper embayment called Mannar Bay or the Gulf of Mannar. Mannar Island is at the eastern (Sri Lankan) end of Adam's Bridge.
* Urumalai ("Old Talaimannar")
Date unknown. Inactive; charted as a landmark. Approx. 25 m (82 ft) ruined iron tripod tower. Kosala Perera has a 2016 photo, M.K. Jayawardena has a 2021 closeup, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. This tower is a mystery. It does appear to be the ruin of a lighthouse but no evidence of it has been found in older light lists. Located on the coast at Urumalai (Urumale), the extreme western tip of Mannar Island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SLI-025.
* Mannar Island (Talaimannar)
1915. Reactivated; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); white flash every 5 s. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Wikimedia has a 2014 photo by Adam Jones (also seen at right), Munas Vellaithamby has a 2021 photo, a 2016 photo and a view from the sea (second photo on the page) are available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. There are several Internet references to the lighthouse as being abandoned or "burnt out" during the insurrection. The Sri Lankan Army cleared mines in the Talaimannar Pier area in 2003-04, reopening the area to visitors. When J.M.S. Bandara visited in November 2011 the lighthouse was still abandoned with several panes of glass missing from the lantern. Restoration was carried out in 2012-13. Located near the northwestern end of Mannar Island, a short distance east of the Talaimannar Pier. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-015; Admiralty F0884; NGA 27364.
* [Queen's Tower]
Date unknown (1870s?). Historic daybeacon, charted by Navionics. 17 m (55 ft) square pyramidal stone tower. Walpolage Premalal Walpola has a closeup photo, Duminda Kumarathunga has a 2021 photo, Ravindu Ishara has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. This tower was built early in British rule (1820s?) and served as a surveyor's mark as well as a navigational beacon. The King's Tower, at the opposite end of the island, has collapsed and only its base remains. Located at the southeastern tip of Delft Island (Neduntheevu). Site open, tower status unknown.

Talaimannar Light, Talaimannar, May 2014
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Adam Jones
Pungudutivu (Punkudutivu)
Date unknown. Inactive but listed by NGA with focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) square stone tower. Nadeera Harshajith has a 2023 photo, Ericjohan Jesuthasan has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. An Indian Notice to Mariners reported this light deactivated in September 2016 but it was probably inactive for some time before that. Located near the southeastern point of Pungudutivu, an island in Palk Bay about 25 km (15 mi) south of Kovilan Point. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty F0877; NGA 27216.
[Analaitheevu Obelisk]
Date unknown. Historic daybeacon, charted by Navionics. Apporx. 22 m (72 ft) stone obelisk. Pri Tharsan's photo is at right, Mahesh Bandara has a 2021 closeup, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This tower is mentioned in many navigational guides for Palk Strait but its history is unknown. Located on the northern tip of the island of Analaitheevu. Site open, tower closed.
* [Kal Munai Point]
Date unknown. Historic daybeacon, charted by Navionics. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal stone tower. Anojhan Parameswaran has a closeup 2018 photo, Samantha Thennakoon has a 2019 photo, Mahesh Bandara has a 2021 photo, and Google has a satellite view. A smaller version of the Queen's Tower (see above). Located on a promontory at the east side of the entrance to Jaffna Bay. Site open, tower status unknown.
Jaffna Obelisk
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 6 m (20 ft) white concrete tower. No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view. A city of about 90,000 residents, Jaffna is the capital of Northern Province, but its port is accessible only to relatively small fishing vessels. Located in the harbor beside the narrow entrance channel. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0878; NGA 27220.
[Fort Hammenhiel (?)]
Date unknown. Inactive but listed by NGA with focal plane 11 m (36 ft); red flash every 5 s. This light must have been placed on the ramparts of Fort Hammenhiel, a 17th century fort that covers a tiny island on the north side of the entrance to Jaffna Harbour. Available photos of the fort do not show any evidence of the light. Janaka Rambukwella has a view of the fort from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. The fort is a tourist attraction accessible by passenger ferry. Site open. ex-Admiralty F0875; NGA 27208.

Analaitheevu Beacon, Analaitheevu, May 2022
Google Maps photo by Pri Tharsan
* Kovilan (Kovilam) Point (2)
1916 (station established 1899). Inactive at least since the start of the insurrection; listed with focal plane 31 m (101 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 30 m (98 ft) round masonry tower, painted white. Keeper's houses unroofed and in ruins. Anjana Gunathilake has a 2010 photo, Siva Nama has a 2018 photo, and Google has a satellite view. In an April 2021 photo by Taya Diaz the lighthouse appears abandoned and clearly out of service. Nadarajah Kesavan's 2016 photo and Kasun Wijesuriya's 2018 photo also show no evidence of restoration. This lighthouse marks a cape on Palk Strait, which divides northern Sri Lanka from India. The first light was shown from a mast. Located at the northwestern corner of Karaitivu Island, about 25 km (15 mi) northwest of Jaffna. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-013; Admiralty F0874; NGA 27212.
* Kankesanturai (Kankesanthure)
1893. Reactivated (?) (inactive at least since the start of the insurrection); three white flashes every 15 s. 22 m (72 ft) octagonal masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. AmazingLanka.com says that the lighthouse "has faced the ravages of war with the terrorists and is in a dysfunctional state"; the site's webmaster has posted a 2013 closeup photo. However, more recent photos show the lighthouse freshly painted white and apparently restored. Ishanka Hasaranga has a December 2019 photo, Kapila Jayasooriya has a January 2017 street view, Gayan Hewagamage has a 2018 photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located near the junction of the AB16 and AB21 highways on the Kankesanturai waterfront. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-012; ex-Admiralty F0872; ex-NGA 27224.
* Point Pedro (Point Padro, Point Paduru)
1916. Reactivated(?); focal plane 31 m (102 ft); white flash every 5 s. 32 m (105 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Parkavi Kumar's 2016 photo is at right, Rusiru Ekanayaka has a 2020 photo, Pathum Kumara has a 2017 closeup, Wikimedia has a 2012 photo by Anton Croos, and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. The lighthouse does not appear active in a 2014 photo, but the 2016 closeup at right shows it freshly whitewashed and perhaps restored. Point Pedro is the northeastern corner of Sri Lanka and the southern entrance to Palk Strait. Controlled only briefly by the Tamil rebels, the town was a base for government forces during the insurrection. The name "Pedro" is not Spanish; it is a corruption of the local name, Paduru in Sinhala and Paruthi in Tamil. Located about 30 km (20 mi) east of Kankesanturai. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-017; Admiralty F0870; NGA 27228.
* [Uduthurai Obelisk]
Date unknown. Historic daybeacon. Stone obelisk perhaps 20 m (66 ft) tall. Sanjeepan Sivaguru has a 2021 photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the beach about 35 km (22 m) southeast of Point Pedro. Site appears open.

Point Pedro Light, Point Pedro, February 2016
Flickr photo copyright Parkavi Kumar
used by permission

Eastern Province (Bay of Bengal) Lighthouses
* Pulmoddai Roads North
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous white light. 16 m (52 ft) round unpainted concrete tower. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located on the beach at the north end of Pulmoddai. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0864.4.
* Pulmoddai Roads South
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); continuous white light. 16 m (52 ft) round unpainted concrete tower. Sanjay Sanju has a view from a nearby beach and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the beach at the south end of Pulmoddai. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0864.
Chapel Hill (?)
Date unknown. Inactive. Formerly described by NGA as a "white structure on building." No photo available but Google has an indistinct satellite view of the station. There is a tall communications tower adjacent to the light. An Indian Notice to Mariners reported this light deactivated in September 2016 but it was probably inactive for some time before that. It seems clear that there was no historic lighthouse here. Located at Manayaveli, on the heights on the north side of the entrance to the harbor of Trincomalee. Site presumably open, tower status unknown. ARLHS SLI-004; ex-Admiralty F0853; ex-NGA 27248.
Round Island (Trincomalee, Kevuliya)
1863. Apparently reactivated (reported inactive by AmazingLanka.com); focal plane 31 m (102 ft); three flashes every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery; a skeletal tower formerly surrounding the lantern in order to show the light at a higher level has been removed in recent years. Lighthouse painted white. Nuwan Sameera has the closeup 2023 photo seen at right, Trabas has Cameron's photo, Wikimedia has Rehman Abubakr's distant photo, Nuwan Nera has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. The white sector is the leading light for entrance to the harbor of Trincomalee. Trincomalee (Trikunamalaya or Thirukonamalai) has a magnificent protected harbor, the finest in the Indian Ocean; for decades it was a major Royal Navy base. The lighthouse is located atop a small island in the bay. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SLI-019; Admiralty F0852; NGA 27244.

Round Island Light, Trincomalee, May 2023
Google Maps photo by Nuwan Sameera
China Bay
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 18 m (59 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 13 m (43 ft) round tower. Trabas has Cameron's distant photo and Google has a satellite view (white tower behind the large building). China Bay is the northern section of Trincomalee Bay, and the site of the city's commercial harbor facilities. Located on Clappenburg Island, which is connected to the mainland by a causeway. Site and tower closed. Admiralty F0861.
* Foul Point (Kevilea, Sampur)
1863. Reactivated; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three flashes every 15 s, white or red depending on direction. 21 m (69 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 2021 photo is available. Endangered: the tsunami left the lighthouse directly on the beach, as seen in Araniyan Sivanesaraja's 2016 street view and Google's satellite view. The lighthouse was abandoned for many years, as seen in Kalpa Weerasinghe's 2017 photo and a 2013 Sri Lankan Navy photo. It was restored in 2018-19; a September 2018 photo shows this work in progress and Fazlan Marikkar's 2021 photo shows the results. The light was announced by notices to mariners in March 2020. A view from across the bay is available and Michel Forand has a historic postcard view. Located on the point at the southern entrance to the harbor of Trincomalee. Site open, tower status unknown. . ARLHS SLI-009; Admiralty F0850.
* Batticaloa (Mattuwaran)
1913. Reactivated (inactive during the insurrection until 2008); focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 3 s. 28 m (92 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo by Anton Croos is at right, Wikimedia has several good photos, a closeup is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Dinushka Jayatissa's 2021 photo shows the tower in need of repainting. Batticaloa, a small fishing town on the central east coast, was devastated by the tsunami. The lighthouse suffered only minor damage, but on a post-tsunami visit Preethi Burkholder found it to be neglected and in very poor condition. A big part of the problem was that the Batticaloa area had been contested for a long time between the government and Tamil forces. In early 2008 the lighthouse was restored with USAID tsunami relief funds; Markus Spring has a May 2008 photo of the results. Mattuwaran is the Tamil name of the lighthouse. Located at the end of Bar Road on the north side of the harbor entrance in Batticaloa. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-003; Admiralty F0846; NGA 27260.
Batticaloa Light
Batticaloa Light, Batticaloa, May 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Anton Croos
* Oluvil
1999. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 10 s. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story equipment building. Lighthouse painted white with gold trim. L. Maṅju's photo appears at right, Nafrisa Hazim has a 2020 photo, Ahmed Aboo has a 2021 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was built as part of a project to open a new fisheries harbor at Oluvil, a town on the southern east coast about 12 km (7.5 mi) south of Kalmunai. The harbor, town, and lighthouse were all damaged by the tsunami, but the damage has been repaired. The harbor was greatly delayed but finally opened in 2013. Located on the beachfront at Oluvil. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-026; Admiralty F0845; not listed by NGA.
* Sangamankanda Point, Komarii Point, Ampara
1947. Inactive since 2004, although still listed by NGA. This was originally a 7.5 m (25 ft) round white concrete tower. Bhathiya Mobail has a 2016 photo, a 2015 photo is available, Himantha Alahakoon has a 2021 photo, and the stump of the tower is barely visible in Google's satellite view. This small light was overwhelmed by the tsunami of 26 December 2004, and it has not been repaired. Barely 4.5 m (15 ft) of the tower remains. Located on the beach at the easternmost point of Sri Lanka, about 35 km (22 mi) south of Oluvil. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS SLI-020; ex-Admiralty F0844; NGA 27264.

Southern Province (Indian Ocean) Lighthouses
Little Basses Reef
1878. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); two very quick white flashes every 10 s. 37 m (121 ft) round granite tower with lantern and double gallery, painted white with a black horizontal band. Dive Sri Lanka has a photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, Lighthouse Digest has a historic photo contributed by Michel Forand, and Bing has a satellite view. PTI helped refurbish both Basses Reef lighthouses in 1998-99. In December 2004 the two lighthouses withstood the force of the tsunami with only modest damage; the English lighthouse agency Trinity House agreed to repair them and the light was back in service in late 2005. The lighthouse was designed by James Douglass and built by William Douglass. "Basses" is a corruption of the Portuguese word baixio, meaning a shoal. The two Basses lighthouses are among the most famous offshore lighthouses of Asia. Located about 10 km (6 mi) offshore from Yala and 16 km (10 mi) south of Kumana. Accessible only by boat. . ARLHS SLI-014; Admiralty F0842; NGA 27268.

Oluvil Light, Oluvil, December 2014
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by L. Maṅju
Great Basses Reef
1873. Active; focal plane 34 m (112 ft); white flash every 15 s. 37 m (121 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo is at right, Maduranga Wijayabandara has a closeup 2018 photo, Lightphotos.net has a photo, Mario Jehan has a 2021 photo, Lighthouse Digest has Örnulf Borgman's photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse was designed by Alexander Gordon and Sir James Douglass. Like Little Basses Reef Light, it withstood the force of the tsunami with only modest damage; the English lighthouse agency Trinity House agreed to repair it and the light was back in service by 2007. Located about 13 km (8 mi) offshore and 16 km (10 mi) east of Kirinda. Accessible only by boat. . ARLHS SLI-010; Admiralty F0840; NGA 27272.
* Hambantota (2)
1913 (station established 1903). Inactive since the 1970s. 14 m (43 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. When the lighthouse was unpainted the use of dark and light stone gave it the appearance of having black and white spiral bands. Keeper's house and other light station buildings; there is also an early 19th century Martello tower adjacent to the light station. Google's February 2016 street view shows that the lighthouse has been refurbished with the light stones painted white and the dark ones painted black. Miyuru Jayasekara has the 2017 photo seen below right, Chinthaka Rangajeewa Hemachandra has a 2020 photo, and Google has a somewhat distant satellite view. Lightphotos.net has a photo by Priyanjan de Silva showing the lighthouse before restoration and Dhammika Heenpella has a 2014 photo. On a December 2009 visit Andreas Köhler found the lighthouse to be in very poor condition, and the AmazingLanka web site said it was "in a dilapidated state." The restoration must have occurred in 2015. The original light was much lower, with a focal plane of only 15 m (50 ft). The present lighthouse was active at least into the 1970s. Located on a promontory at Hambantota on the southeastern coast of Sri Lanka. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS SLI-011; ex-Admiralty F0838 (that number is now assigned to the West Breakwater Light, see below).

Great Basses Light
Sri Lankan Navy photo
Hambantota East Breakwater
2012 (?). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flashing green light. 9 m (30 ft) round barbell-shaped tower colored with green and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Smith's photo, N.H. Samarasinghe has a view from the harbor, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the elbow of the east breakwater of the new Hambantota port. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0838.2.
Hambantota West Breakwater
2012 (?). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); flashing red light. 9 m (30 ft) round barbell-shaped tower colored with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Smith's photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of the west breakwater of the new Hambantota port. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0838.
Hambantota Artificial Island East
2017 (?). Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 2 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round white barbell-shaped tower. Trabas has Smith's photo and Google has a distant satellite view. A large "artificial island" apparently created by dredge spoil, is attached to the base of the west side breakwater of the main harbor entrance. Located a few feet from the breakwater. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0837.2.
Hambantota Artificial Island West
2017 (?). Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); white flash every 2 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round white barbell-shaped tower. Trabas has Smith's photo and Google has a distant satellite view. Located near the west end of the island. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0837.1.
Hambantota Secondary Breakwater
2017 (?). Active; focal plane about 10 m (33 ft); red flash every 4 s. Approx. 8 m (26 ft) round barbell-shaped tower colored with red and white horizontal bands and mounted on a square concrete base. Dasun Roshan Udayanga has a 2022 photo, Trabas has Smith's distant photo, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on a breakwater west of an . Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0837.
 

Hambantota Light, Hambantota, July 2017
Google Maps photo by Miyuru Jayasekara
 
*** Dondra Head
1890. Active; focal plane 47 m (154 ft); white flash every 5 s. 49 m (161 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Andreas Köhler's 2009 photo appears at the top of this page, Trabas also has Köhler's photo, Kagesh Hasantha has a 2022 closeup photo, Eric Hwang has posted a particularly nice photo of this famous lighthouse, Tim Ellis has a closeup photo, Rasika Ranaweera has a 2016 street view, and Google has a satellite view. In addition Lighthouse Digest has a feature article on the lighthouse by Preethi Burkholder and Huelse has a historic postcard view oddly misindentified as the Beruwala lighthouse. Designed by James Douglass and constructed by William Douglass, the lighthouse stands on the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka. In May 2017 the Ministry of Ports and Shipping opened the lighthouse as a tourist attraction. Located on the point, near the village of Dondra. Site open, tower open daily. . ARLHS SLI-001; Admiralty F0836; NGA 27276.
* Galle Directional
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 14 m (46 ft) post; a semicircular equipment shelter is mounted on a gallery halfway up the tower. Entire lighthouse is white. Trabas has Cameron's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The white light, in a 6° arc, defines the proper approach to Galle. Located at the edge of the sea in downtown Galle. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0831.5.
** Galle (Pointe de Galle) (2)
1939 (station established 1848). Active; focal plane 28 m (92 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 26.5 m (87 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A 4th order Chance Brothers Fresnel lens is in use. David Trattnig's photo is at right, Ansel Chong has a 2019 photo, Pawel Makowiecki has a good photo, Trabas has Cameron's photo, Sunila Galappatti has a 2008 photo, Wikimedia has a 2012 closeup, Lighthouse Digest has a feature article on the lighthouse by Preethi Burkholder, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This is Sri Lanka's oldest light station. The British Library has a photo of the original lighthouse, which was destroyed by fire in 1936. Galle is has been a seaport since ancient times and remains an important port today; the sity has a population of about 100,000. The light station is within the walls of the Galle Fort, built by the Dutch in 1663, a UNESCO world heritage site and well known tourist attraction, making this the country's most often visited lighthouse. Located at the end of a peninsula sheltering the harbor of Galle, at the southwestern corner of Sri Lanka. Site open, tower open to guided tours. . ARLHS SLI-018; Admiralty F0830; NGA 27284.
Galle Light
Galle Light, Galle, January 2009
Flickr Creative Commons photo by David Trattnig

Western Province (Lakshadweep Sea) Lighthouses
** Barberyn (Beruwala)
1890. Active; focal plane 46 m (151 ft); white flash every 20 s. 34 m (112 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Lighthouse Digest has a June 2006 feature article by Preethi Burkholder on this lighthouse, including two photos, Andreas Köhler has a good 2010 photo, Trabas also has Köhler's photo, Asantha Illesinghe has a closeup, Rovin Shanila has a 2020 photo, Ranjith Gunarathne has a distant view, and Google has a good satellite view. Located on an island near Beruwala, about 55 km (35 mi) south of Colombo. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower open daily. . ARLHS SLI-002; Admiralty F0826; NGA 27288.
* Mount Lavinia (Dehiwala) (Range Front) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. Jude Perera has a sunset view of this light and Google has an indistinct satellite view. A photo of an earlier light is available and Huelse has a historic postcard view. Located on a reef just off the beach in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, a southern suburb of Colombo. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0820; NGA 27296.
* Mount Lavinia (Dehiwala) (Range Rear) (2?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 18 m (59 ft); continuous red light. Light on a mast atop a building. The light is probably on the taller of two mast seen in a street view by Abdul Kuddoos Mohamed Shafran and Google has a satellite view. In a bizarre twist NGA describes the rear light as being on a coconut tree. Located in Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty F0820.1; NGA 27300.
* Colombo (2) (Clock Tower)
1865 (station established 1829). Inactive since 1952. 29 m (95 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white with unpainted stone trim; lantern is gray metallic. The tower rises from an open, arched base. Upul Wijesuriya has a 2016 photo, Dennis Hurd has a photo, and Google has a street view ( seen at right) and a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view in which the tower has a brown horizontal band below the gallery, a band also seen in David Meare's 1964 photo. This lighthouse was built as a clock tower in 1860 and the lantern and light were added in 1865. The earlier history of this station is somewhat obscure. The first Colombo light, apparently mounted on a church tower, was demolished around 1838 to make way for expansion of the nearby fort. The first Colombo lighthouse was an interesting neoclassical structure, the light tower rising from a circular stone building and surrounded by an elaborate colonnade. The British Library also has an image of the first light and states that the light was moved to the clocktower in 1867; however, this conflicts with light list data, which shows the clocktower light already in use by 1865 with 1860 as the date of construction. The lighthouse was deactivated after its light became obscured by nearby buildings. Köhler visited in late 2009 and reports he was not allowed to take photos for security reasons. Located at Chatham Street and Janadhipathi Mawatha in downtown Colombo. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-021.


Colombo Clock Tower Light, Colombo, November 2015
Google Maps street view

* Colombo (3) (Galbokka Point)
1952 (station established 1820s?). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story stone building. The seaward side of the tower is painted in a black and white checkered pattern, seen in a 2012 closeup but barely visible in a distant photo and in David Meare's historic photo. Wikimedia has Rehman Abubakr's closeup photo (also seen at right), Trabas has Cameron's photo, a photo taken from the rear is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Köhler visited in late 2009 and reports he was not allowed to take photos for security reasons. Located in a historic fort at Galbokka Point south of the harbor on the Colombo waterfront. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS SLI-005; Admiralty F0804; NGA 27332.
Colombo West Breakwater
2013. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); green flash every 6 s. 18 m (59 ft) round barbell-shaped tower painted with green and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Smith's photo and Bing has a satellite view. The harbor of Colombo was greatly expanded in 2012-13 with new container and cruise ship terminals protected by new breakwaters to the west of the historic piers. Located at the end of the new west breakwater. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0783; NGA 27303.
Colombo East Breakwater
2013. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); red flash every 6 s. 18 m (59 ft) round barbell-shaped tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Smith's photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The new harbor office and control center stand next to the light. Located at the end of the new east breakwater, which is attached to the old southwest breakwater. Site status unknown. Admiralty F0784; NGA 27303.3.
Colombo Southwest Breakwater
1913. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); green light occulting once every 5 s. 18 m (59 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. A photo taken from the sea also shows the Pilot Station (next entry), Christoph Schöning has a photo, Trabas has Cameron's photo, a 2019 photo is available, Tatiana Smolkova has a photo of the light in action, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. David Meare has a 1964 photo. Located at the end of the original outer breakwater of Colombo, marking the south side of the western entrance to the harbor; this is the entrance used by larger ships. Site status unknown. ARLHS SLI-023; Admiralty F0785; NGA 27304.

Galbokka Point Light, Colombo, December 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Rehman Abubakr
Colombo Pilot Station
1885. Inactive since 2016. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical tower topped by a dome, centered on a circular 2-story pilot station. Building painted white. Jürgen Klinksiek has contributed the photo at right, which shows that the tower has been raised in height since Meare's 1964 photo. Tharindu Samarawickrama has a closeup photo, Rohana Premachandra has a 2021 photo, Chamantha Parakrama has a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the original southwest breakwater. Site status unknown. ex-Admiralty F0786; NGA 27312.
Colombo Island Breakwater South End
1905. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red flash every 3 s. 12 m (36 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has Cameron's photo, a distant street view from the Southwest Breakawater is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the south end of the detached breakwater protecting Colombo Harbour, marking the north side of the western entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SLI-007; Admiralty F0788; NGA 27316.
Colombo Island Breakwater North End
1907. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green flash every 3 s. 12 m (36 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Trabas has Cameron's photo, Gayantha Karunarathne has a photo, Meare has contributed a 1964 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The AmazingLanka site has an incorrect photo showing the Southwest Breakwater lighthouse. Located at the north end of the detached breakwater protecting Colombo Harbour, marking the south side of the northern entrance. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS SLI-006; Admiralty F0790; NGA 27320.

Colombo Pilot Station, Colombo, April 2007
photo copyright Jürgen Klinksiek; used by permission
Colombo Northeast Breakwater
1907. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); continuous red light. 10 m (33 ft) round concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Trabas has Cameron's photo, Oleg Novakov has a photo, the lighthouse is centered in a very distant view across the harbor (the Island Breakwater North End Light is at the left), and it is seen in Google's satellite view and Bing's satellite view. Michel Forand has a historic postcard view. The channel between this light and the Island Breakwater North End Light is now closed with a chain. Located at the end of the northeast breakwater, marking the north side of the northern entrance. Site status unknown. ARLHS SLI-024; Admiralty F0791; NGA 27324.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining page: North: Tamil Nadu and Puducherry

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Posted February 13, 2006. Checked and revised July 16, 2023. Lighthouses: 38. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.