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Manora Point Lighthouse
Pakistan
The Manora Point Lighthouse is an active lighthouse located in Manora, Karachi, on the Arabian Sea in Pakistan, where it is fourth tallest lighthouse in the country at a height of 38 m (125 ft). The lighthouse was first established on the point in 1851, being second oldest light station in the former British Indian Empire.
Extensively rebuilt in 1889, it still remains operational today as a navigational aid for ships entering the nearby Port of Karachi. The conical masonry tower, with a lantern and gallery, has a daymark on the seaward side of the lighthouse of horizontal bands of red, white and black.
In 1908, the lighthouse was improved with the installation of a hyperradiant Fresnel lens manufactured by the English company Chance Brothers. The management of the lighthouse is undertaken by the Karachi Port Trust and although the site is open to the public the island is itself a restricted zone due to it being surrounded by Pakistan Navy bases. Although the lighthouse is listed as a heritage monument, there is no public access to the tower.
Site open, tower closed.
The Pakistan Maritime Museum in Karachi has a replica of this lighthouse that you can climb.
| Manufacture Date | 1888 (1st order, probably fixed). 1908 (Hyperadial Revolving section) |
|---|---|
| Lighthouse Construction | 1889 (station established 1851). This tower was altered (and apparently raised in height) when a hyper-radial lens was installed in 1909. |
| Country | Pakistan |
| Lens Order | Hyper-radial |
| Lens Type | Revolving |
| Status | publish |
| Light Character | Fl W 7.5s |
| Lighthouse Markings | Red round tower, white bands, black base, white cupola |
| Lighthouse Parts | none |
| Management Body Ports Authority | Mercantile marine Department (Ministry of Ports & Shipping) |
| Preserver | Karachi Port Trust |
| Coastal Erosion Vulnerability | |
| Open Status (Site) | Open |
| Open Status (Tower) | Closed |
| Coordinates | 24.7939634584,66.9775987551 |
| Other | In 1908, a hyperradiant Fresnel lens, produced by the English glassmaking company Chance Brothers, was installed in the tower. Chance Brothers Ltd was one of the major suppliers of lighthouse optical systems in the world, and the only company of its kind in Britain. The hyper-radial is the largest type of lens used for lighthouses, having an internal diameter of 2.66 metres. Made up of four bullseye panels, the "revolving lens unit weighed 6 tons but floated on mercury such that it could be turned with one finger." The optic produced a "one and a half million candlepower flash every seven and a half seconds". Each flash was created by one of the four bullseye panels set at 90 degrees, as the unit made a complete rotation every 30 seconds. The light has retained this characteristic to the present day, and has a nominal range of 26 nmi (48 km; 30 mi), at a height above sea level or focal plane of 48 m (157 ft). NB! See the source: 1) Chance Lighthouses (1856-1917) (61 years), David Encill's list 1856-95: 1st order, 1888, Manora, Karachi It was probably fixed. See the description on the old photo http://www.lighthousedigest.com/Digest/database/uniquelighthouse.cfm?value=2239&bhcd2=1215794463 2) Chance Lighthouses (1856-1917) (61 years): Hyperadial Revolving section, 1908, Manora Point (Active) ARLHS PAK-002; Admiralty D7750; NGA 28472. |
| Data Source | Chance Lighthouses (1856-1917) (61 years), David Encill's list 1856-95 |