African Food and Art

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Old and Modern Lighthouses of Egypt and Morocco

Old and Modern Lighthouses of Egypt and Morocco

Lighthouses of Egypt and Morocco

Cap Spartel Lighthouse in Morocco
Cap Spartel Lighthouse in Morocco

Discover information on the oldest lighthouse in the world, the Pharos of Alexandria in the African country of Egypt.

Point Cires is a peninsula and two islands off the northern coast of Morocco within the Strait of Gibraltar. Strait of Gibraltar is a vital shipping channel connecting the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, lying between southernmost Spain and northwestern most Africa. Strait of Gibraltar is 36 miles or 58 km long and narrows to 9 miles 15 km in width between Point Cires Morocco and Point Marroquí Spain.

The islands have a lighthouse and many years ago, people decided to explore Strait of Gibraltar waters by boat. During the day, they could find their way back to the landing-place by looking for a pile of rocks that had been left there. These were the first-day marks.

However, how could they find their way home at night? Since much of the shoreline looked very similar, groups had to light a bonfire on a high point to guide them to the right landing area. Still, later, they used a pole or a tripod to hang a metal basket containing a fire as a method of signaling.

The first lighthouses were actually given to us by nature herself. Sailors sometimes used landmarks such as glowing volcanoes to guide them. In the Ancient World, trading ships were eventually built enabling navigators to sail long distances to buy and sell goods. In the days of wooden ships with sails, the wind and waves could easily push them against the rocks and wreck them. Therefore, the need for lighthouses as warning signals arose.

Pharos of Alexandria is a lighthouse in Egypt and was the first one built about 280 B.C. Those records tell us that it was the tallest one ever built 450 ft. comparable to a 45 story skyscraper and used an open fire at the top as a source of light. The structure survived for 1,500 years until it was completely destroyed by an earthquake in the 14th Century. At night they believe its lighted fire could be seen for thirty miles, whereas by day it produced a column of smoke for a daymark. Today people who study or are interested in lighthouses pharologists. The name comes from that famous lighthouse.

Africa and Europe are separated by less than 9 miles at the Strait of Gibraltar making lighthouses vital to keeping people, cargo and ships safe. You cannot see colors or patterns at night, but you can see the lights. The two main purposes of a lighthouse are to serve as a navigational aid and to warn boats of dangerous areas. It is like a traffic sign on the sea.

El Hank Lighthouse of Morocco
El Hank Lighthouse of Morocco

Lighthouses of Morocco

This is a list of lighthouses in Morocco, which are located along both the Mediterranean and Atlantic coastlines of this North African country.

Old and Modern Lighthouses of Egypt and Morocco

Morocco Lighthouses Waterbody Year Built Light seen in Nautical Miles
Cap des Trois Fourches  Mediterranean 1909 19 nmi (35 km)
Cap Rhir Lighthouse Atlantic 1931 22 nmi (41 km)
Cap Spartel Lighthouse Atlantic 1864 30 nmi (56 km)
El Hank Lighthouse Atlantic 1919 30 nmi (56 km)
Cap Malabata Lighthouse Atlantic Unknown 22 nmi (41 km)
Rabat Lighthouse Atlantic 1920 16 nmi (30 km)
Sidi Bou Afi Lighthouse Atlantic 1916 30 nmi (56 km)
Cap Sim Lighthouse Atlantic 1917 21 nmi (39 km)

Alexandria Montazah Beach lighthouse of Egypt Abandoned Lighthouse
Alexandria Montazah Beach lighthouse of Egypt Abandoned Lighthouse
Lighthouses of Egypt

This is a list of lighthouses, beacons, headlights and towers in Egypt, which are located along both the Mediterranean and Red Sea coastlines.

Name of Egyptian Lighthouses Water Year Built Tower Height Light seen in Nautical Miles
Alexandria Montazah Beach lighthouse n/a Abandoned Lighthouse n/a n/a
Ashrafi Juzur Red Sea 1940 26 m (85 ft) 17 nmi (31 km)
Ayn Sukhnah Red Sea 2008 39 m (128 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Birket Misallat Red Sea Unknown 39 m (128 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
Bluff Point Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Brothers Islands Lighthouse Red Sea 1883 31 m (102 ft) 17 nmi (31 km)
Burullus Mediterranean 1992 39 m (128 ft) 20 nmi (37 km)
Daedalus Reef Red Sea 1931 30 m (98 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Dahab Egypt Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Damietta Mediterranean 1992 39 m (128 ft) 20 nmi (37 km)
El Agami Mediterranean Unknown 14 m (46 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
El Arish Mediterranean 1997 20 m (66 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
El Bahar Tower Mediterranean 2008 42 m (138 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
El Dikheila Range Rear Mediterranean Unknown 27 m (89 ft) 17 nmi (31 km)
El Ghardaqa Range Front Red Sea Unknown 18 m (59 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
El Ghardaqa Range Rear Red Sea Unknown 15 m (49 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
El Mallaha Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Enterprise Passage Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
False Ras Gharib Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Giftun el-Saghir Red Sea Unknown 25 m (82 ft) 16 nmi (30 km)
Great Pass Beacon Mediterranean Unknown 21 m (69 ft) 16 nmi (30 km)
Jazirat Shakir Red Sea 1889 20 m (66 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Lahata Red Sea Unknown 39 m (128 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
Nuweibah Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Port Said Lighthouse Mediterranean 1869/1997 39 m (128 ft) 20 nmi (37 km)
Qad Ibn Haddan Red Sea 1987 39 m (128 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Qadd el Tawila Red Sea Unknown 39 m (128 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
Ras Abu Darag Red Sea 1926 30 m (98 ft) 19 nmi (35 km)
Ras Abu Sawmah Red Sea Unknown 28 m (92 ft) 16 nmi (30 km)
Ras Dib Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Ras el Shaqiq Mediterranean 1987 15 m (49 ft) 20 nmi (37 km)
Ras el-Tin Mediterranean 1848 55 m (180 ft) 21 nmi (39 km)
Ras Gharib Red Sea 1987 39 m (128 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Ras Muhaggara Red Sea Unknown 39 m (128 ft) 18 nmi (33 km)
Ras Muhammad Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Ras Ruahmi Red Sea Unknown 24 m (79 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Ras Shukier Red Sea Unknown 17 m (56 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Ras Umm Sidd Red Sea 1987 17 m (56 ft) 22 nmi (41 km)
Ras Zafarana Red Sea 1862 25 m (82 ft) 17 nmi (31 km)
Ras Zeit Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Raschid Mediterranean 1991 15 m (49 ft) 20 nmi (37 km)
Siyal Island Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Umm El-Kiman Red Sea Unknown 10 m (33 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)
Umm Qamar Red Sea Unknown 12 m (39 ft) 15 nmi (28 km)

Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, South Africa
Cape Agulhas Lighthouse, South Africa
Old and Modern Lighthouses of Egypt and Morocco
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