As your eyes take in the panoramic view of the beautiful Marina beach of Chennai, they are sure to notice a tall structure with red and white stripes painted across it. This structure is the famous Chennai lighthouse which is also called as the Madras lighthouse or the Marina beach lighthouse.
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| A view of the lighthouse from Marina beach |
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| A close-up of the lighthouse |
How to get there?
The lighthouse oversees the Bay of Bengal and is a famous landmark on the Marina beach. It is located at a distance of about 18 km from the airport and is easily accessible by auto, cab and metro.
So your probably thinking.....why should you visit this place??
1. For the beautiful view of the marina beach and the adjacent promenade. (Sure to charge the photographer in you)
2. It happens to be the only lighthouse in India which is within the city limits. (Now, where else would you get this chance)
3. It is one of the few lighthouses in the world which have an elevator ! (Saves the effort of climbing up all those floors, phew!)
4. It also houses a museum, giving you an opportunity to see the transition in equipment used in lighthouse from the good old days till today.
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| A view of the sea, the marina beach and the adjacent promenade from the 9th floor of the lighthouse |
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| A close-up of the Marina beach as seen from the lighthouse |
Historically four different structures have served as the Madras Lighthouse during different periods of time.
The first lighthouse (1796):
A lantern fed with oil bearing large wicks located on the roof of the Officer's Mess cum Exchange building (present day Fort museum) in Fort St. George functioned as the first lighthouse. During this period the sea was close to the walls of the fort.
The second lighthouse (1844):
The second lighthouse operated from a 38 meter tall stone tower located in the present day High Court building compound. This lighthouse began functioning from 1st January 1844 and used flashing light consisting of argand lamps and reflectors till 1894.
The base of this structure has the survey point of the Great Trigonometrical Survey of India.
The third lighthouse (1894):
The third lighthouse functioned from the central main dome of the newly constructed Madras High Court building. The lighthouse used kerosene vapour lamps till the advent of electric power and was set to a height of 175 feet above sea level. The capillary lamp of this lighthouse could produce a beam of light of 18,000 candelas.
The fourth lighthouse (1977 - present day)
The 46 meters RCC, tall, triangular red and white building that we see before us today is the city's fourth modern light house. This lighthouse has a range of 28 nautical miles and started functioning from 10th January 1977 onwards. The structure was closed for public visit for almost 22 years and was re-opened in November 2013.
Lets talk about the present day lighthouse....
The present structure has 11 floors and is attached to a three floor circular harbour-control building. The 9th floor of the tower has a viewing gallery from which one is able to see the beautiful marina beach, the promenade and other structures of the city. It gets pretty windy up there and one can often sight black winged kites and other birds at eye level. Steel welded mesh panels have been erected for the safety of the public. The 10th floor has a high-security radar installed which is not open for public view.
At the base of the tower is a small museum room displaying several equipment used in light houses. The room and equipment are well maintained and provide a gateway to the curious folk into the past as one can see the advancements in lighthouse technology.
Bonus: Just in case you are wondering....hey I went to the lighthouse but they didn't give me access to the light....
An old top of the lighthouse (located in Kutch, Gujarat) containing a functional rotating light has been kept in the museum.
(Hence, do not miss this)
(And as photography is prohibited inside the museum....there are no pics to post here)
So tell me.....how do I get to the ninth floor to see that magnificent view ??
Well...........
Visitor Timings - 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Ticket Charges - Adults - Rs 10, Children - Rs 5 (may have changed)
Bags are not allowed and have to be kept in the rack near the guards cabin. Hence, it is advisable to not carry any valuables such as laptops.
Hope you have a fantastic visit !!
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