The striped tower
Red and white among the palms.
Zairon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Zairon — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Bernhard Dunst — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Balou46 — CC BY-SA 4.0
Swakopmund Lighthouse is a red and white tower among palms near the sea, the symbol of this Namibian coastal town and part of its coat of arms since 2009. It is still in use and owned by the Namibian Port Authority. It was built of granite in 1902 to a height of 11 m, supplementing a red light on a column at the end of the mole. The design followed the lighthouse at Dueodde on Bornholm, with a round central tower and surrounding buildings for keepers and materials. In 1910 nearly 17 m were added, taking it to 28 m. It was last renovated in 2016, and a replacement approved in 2019 was never carried out. The light installed in 1982 sits at 35 m and sends two white flashes every 10 seconds, visible up to 33 km away, compared with 14 km originally. At the base stand two white former keepers' houses with red trim, which have held a restaurant in recent years. The tower looks its best between the tall palms and pines. The lighthouse lies about 300 m from the town jetty and 400 m from Woermann House in a straight line. As a working installation it cannot usually be climbed, so enjoy it from the park and street. Bring a jacket, since fog and wind are common on this coast.
Red and white among the palms.
Two white buildings with red trim.
Two flashes every 10 seconds.
Central Swakopmund by the sea, Namibia
Not usually, as it is a working installation.
28 m since 1910, with the present light at 35 m.
