Lighthouses of Algeria

Algeria has a long, 1280 km (800 mi) coastline on the southwestern shore of the Mediterranean opposite France and Spain. French troops landed in Algeria in 1830, and the country remained a French colony through World War II. A bitter struggle in the 1950s led to independence in 1962. Algeria's relations with Europe have remained rather touchy, and few tourists visit from western countries. As a result of this history, it's easy to find old photos of Algerian lighthouses on the Internet, but it's difficult to find recent photos. Accounts and photos from recent visits to Algerian lighthouses would certainly be welcome.

The listing on this page is from east to west.

Aids to navigation in Algeria are operated by the Office National de Signalisation Maritime (ONSM). The limited information we have suggests that most of the historic French lighthouses are being maintained. Many may still have resident keepers.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from volume E of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 113.

Phare de Cherchell
photo copyright Alexandre Faulx-Briole; used by permission

General Sources
Online List of Lights -Algeria: Photos by various photographers posted by Alex Trabas.
Les Phares: A collection of historic and recent photos and images of Algerian lighthouses posted by Alexandre Faulx-Briole.
ONSM - Phares: Information on some of the major lighthouses from ONSM. Select a lighthouse under "Liste du Résultat" and click "Voir la Fiche."
Phares d'Afrique: Photos of African lighthouses posted by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller on the Phares du Monde web site.
Afrikanische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten: Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.
Annaba Province Lighthouses
* El Kala (La Calle): 1862. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous red light. 7.5 m (25 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Building painted white, lantern red. A 2008 photo is available, Rachid Merzougui has a good closeup, Faulx-Briole has two photos (middle of the page), and Google has a satellite view. El Kala is a fishing port at the northeastern corner of Algeria, about 18 km (11 mi) west of the Tunisian border. Located on Pointe Presqu'île, a short peninsula enclosing the north side of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-049; Admiralty E6482; NGA 22164.
Cap Rosa: 1869. Active; focal plane 130 m (427 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) round stone or concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white. Malek Ressam has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a headland about 25 km (15 mi) west of El Kala. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-015; Admiralty E6484; NGA 22168.
* Annaba (Bône) Jetée Sud: 1880. Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); red light, occulting twice every 6 s. 13 m (43 ft) white round tower, a typical French cast iron tourelle, with lantern and gallery. A distant photo is available, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Annaba, known as Bône in colonial days, is the principal seaport of northeastern Algeria. Located at the end of the south jetty in Annaba. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-035; Admiralty E6490; NGA 22180.
Skikda Province Lighthouses Chetaïbi (Cap Takouch, Herbillon): 1881. Active; focal plane 128 m (420 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting once every 4 s. 12 m (39 ft) round tower with lantern. Tower painted white, lantern black. Malek Ressam has a good photo, and a historic photo is available. Located atop a prominent headland about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Chetaïbi. Site status unknown; the scarcity of photos suggests that this lighthouse is not easy to visit. ARLHS ALG-017; Admiralty E6510; NGA 22216.
* Cap de Fer (Ra's el Hadid): 1859. Active; focal plane 65 m (213 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 17 m (56 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from 1-story keeper's house. Jalel Hadj has a photo, the lighthouse is dimly visible in a view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a spectacular cape at the northern entrance to the Golfe de Stora. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-011; Admiralty E6516; NGA 22228.
* Skikda (Philippeville) Jetée Nord: 1913. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 14 m (56 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story square base. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. A good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long north jetty enclosing the old harbor of Skikda. It is not known if the jetty can be walked, but the lighthouse is easy to see from the waterfront. Tower closed. ARLHS ALG-047; Admiralty E6522; NGA 22240.
* Skikda Traverse Nord (2): Date unknown (station established about 1920). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous red light. 8 m (26 ft) round tower, painted white with a red "top"; probably a red lantern. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short spur of the north jetty, opposite the west jetty light (next entry). It is not known if the jetty can be walked, but the lighthouse is easy to see from the waterfront. Tower closed. ARLHS ALG-055; Admiralty E6523; NGA 22248.
* Skikda Jetée Ouest (3): Date unknown (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); continuous green light. 8 m (26 ft) round tower, painted white with a green "top"; probably a green lantern. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Michel Forand has a postcard view of the second light, a cast iron tower. Located at the end of the west jetty, also called the Quai du Château-Vert, a pier at the west end of the old harbor of Skikda. It is not known if the pier can be walked, but the lighthouse is easy to see from the waterfront. Tower closed. ARLHS ALG-056; Admiralty E6524; NGA 22244.
* Stora Jetée Est: Date unknown. Active; focal plane not known; continuous green light. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) pyramidal tower with gallery, painted white, with a small lantern painted green. A photo and a second photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Stora is a small fishing port about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Skikda. Located at the end of the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-065; Admiralty E6532.
* Îlot des Singes (Stora): 1847. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous light, white or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on the platform of a former medieval fort. Metatla Nordine has a photo, another photo looking north across the fishing harbor of Stora is available, and Google has a satellite view. This picturesque and historic lighthouse is one of the best known tourist attractions of the Skikda area. Located on a small island just offshore on the north side of Stora; the island is connected to the mainland by an arched stone bridge. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-004; Admiralty E6530; NGA 22264.
Île Srigina (2): 1906 (station established 1847). Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); red flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Tower painted white; lantern dome is red. Daniel Cotteau has a view from the mainland, and a tiny photo (second row, right) is linked to a pdf document that has a larger photo. In addition, Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the western entrance to the Golfe de Stora. Located atop a steep-sided island about 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Stora. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-023; Admiralty E6534; NGA 22272.
Cap Collo (Pointe Djerda): 1863. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); green flash every 5 s. 11 m (36 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern painted green. Mehdi Bouznad has a photo, Malek Ressam has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a sharp point at the end of the Djerda peninsula about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of Collo. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-044; Admiralty E6540; NGA 22280.
Cap Bougaroun: 1869. Active; focal plane 91 m (299 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story keeper's house. Lantern removed. Lighthouse painted white. Malek Ressam has a photo, a distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lantern had been removed by 1941, when the lighthouse had been converted to a signal station, but apparently it was reinstalled after World War II. More information is needed on this station. Located on a steep bluff at the northernmost point of the province, about 15 km (9 mi) northwest of Collo. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-006; Admiralty E6542; NGA 22284.
Ra's el Maghreb (2): 1906 (station established 1871). Inactive. Round masonry tower attached to a keeper's house. Entire structure is white. This lighthouse appears at upper right in Malek Ressam's photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The lighthouse had a focal plane of 54 m (177 ft), substantially higher than the present lighthouse. The abandoned buildings must be endangered.
Ra's el Maghreb (3): Date unknown (station established 1871). Active; focal plane 30 m (98 ft); white flash every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery attached to a keepe's house. Entire structure is white. Malek Ressam has a photo in which the lighthouse appears at the bottom of the slope on the right and there appears to be a shipwreck near the light; Google has an indistinct satellite view. More information is needed on the history of this station. Located on a headland about 10 km (6.5 mi) west of Ouled Attia. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-045; Admiralty E6544; NGA 22288.
Jijel (Djidjelli) Province Lighthouses * Jijel (Djidjelli) Jetée Nord: 1841. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting three times, in a 1+2 pattern, every 12 s. 12 m (39 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern black. Malek Ressam has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the elbow of the north jetty in Jijel, which is the breakwater for the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-040; Admiralty E6550; NGA 22292.
* Ra's Afia (Jijel Grand Phare): 1871. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); red flash every 5 s. 14 m (46 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern is red. Malek Ressam has a closeup photo, a distant photo is available, Abdelmalek Benidir has posted a good photo, a page of photos is available, Rachid Merzougui has a 2008 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. This well-known and often-photographed lighthouse is at the end of a sharp peninsula a short distance off the coastal N43 highway about 8 km (5 mi) west of Jijel. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-029; Admiralty E6558; NGA 22308.
Béjaïa Province Lighthouses Cap Carbon (1): 1851. Active; focal plane 220 m (722 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a compact keeper's house complex. Lighthouse painted white. This lighthouse is perched atop a giant rock, similar to the Rock of Gibraltar, where the Grande Kabylie range of the Atlas Mountains comes down to the sea. The lighthouse can be seen in a photo of the cape, Bakka Nour has posted a photo showing the spectacular scenery, a July 2005 view is also available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The cape is included in the Gouraya National Park. Located a scant 3 km (1.75 mi) north of the port of Béjaïa (called Bougie in colonial times). Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-007; Admiralty E6572; NGA 22328.
Cap Carbon (2) (feu auxiliare): 1908. Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); flash every 1.5 s, white or red depending on direction. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. This second Cap Carbon lighthouse was built because the primary light is sometimes obscured by low clouds. It is located at the foot of the cliff 150 m (490 ft) northeast of the primary light -- and 186 m (610 ft) straight down. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-057; Admiralty E6573; NGA 22332.
* Cap Sigli: 1906. Active; focal plane 57 m (187 ft); white flash every 5 s. 25 m (82 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery black. Malek Ressam has a great photo, Trabas has a closeup, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse also carries an aviation beacon. Located on a headland about 50 km (30 mi) west northwest of Béjaïa. The site is easily accessible from the coast N24 highway. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-016; Admiralty E6578; NGA 22336.
Tizi Ouzou Province Lighthouses Cap Corbelin: 1908. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); three flashes in a 2+1 pattern, white or red depending on direction, every 15 s. 13 m (43 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. Two keeper's houses. Malek Ressam has a closeup photo, Trabas also has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located beside the N24 coastal highway on a headland near Azeffoun. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-009; Admiralty E6580; NGA 22340.
Pointe de Dellys (1): 1884. Inactive since 2003(?). 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small keeper's house. Lighthouse is white; lantern roof red. This lighthouse was heavily damaged by the earthquake of 21 May 2003, which caused great damage throughout the Dellys area. There's a photo of the damaged lighthouse and another photo is available that shows the ruins of the old lighthouse behind the new one (next entry). It appears from these photos that the lantern was transferred to the new tower. Faulx-Briole has an earlier photo showing the undamaged lighthouse, Malek Ressam has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse was often called the Petit Phare de Dellys to distinguish it from the larger Cap Bengut lighthouse. Located at the end of a very sharp (spear-like) point of land projecting into the Mediterranean just north of the port of Dellys. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-020.
Pointe de Dellys (2): 2007(?). Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted tan with white trim; lantern painted red. Mazouz Abdelaziz has a February 2008 photo and another photo is available. Apparently the new lighthouse has the lantern of the old one. Site and tower closed. Admiralty E6584; NGA 22348.
* Cap Bengut (1): 1881. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); four white flashes every 15 s. 29 m (95 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome green. This elegant and historic lighthouse was damaged seriously by the earthquake of May 21, 2003. Damage is visible in Ressam's fine photo and in a 2008 photo by Mazouz Abdelaziz. Faulx-Briole has a historic photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is being replaced by a new structure, but in 2009 work began to stabilize the old one, which is to be preserved as a historic monument. Located in a residential neighborhood on a headland west of Dellys, about 4 km (2.5 mi) west of the Pointe de Dellys lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-005.
* Cap Bengut (2): 2004. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft) (?); four white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) triangular cylindrical skeletal tower. Lighthouse painted red with a white band at the top. The tower is seen on the right in a 2009 photo. This temporary tower replaced the light in the historic lighthouse after the 2003 earthquake. It may be shorter, so the listed focal plane may be too high. Located near the historic lighthouse. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E6592; NGA 22360.
* Cap Bengut (3): 2009 (under construction). A tall new lighthouse is being built in Dellys in 2008-09. Nasser Drif has a photo. Additional information on this major project is needed. Site and tower closed.
Alger (Algiers) Province Lighthouses
* Cap Matifou: 1868. Active; focal plane 74 m (243 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) square masonry tower with gallery, attached to the front of a 1-story keeper's house. Malek Ressam has a closeup photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Faulx-Briole has posted historic images, and Google has a satellite view. Ressam's photo shows that the lantern has been removed and the tower has been reduced in height from its original 11 m (36 ft). Historically, this lighthouse was the landfall light for Algiers for westbound ships; today it is a minor aid to navigation. The lighthouse also carries an aviation beacon. Located on a headland at the eastern entrance to the Bay of Algiers, about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of Aïn Taya. Site status unknown but probably open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-014; Admiralty E6594; NGA 22368.

* Cap Caxine: 1868. Active; focal plane 64 m (210 ft); white flash every 5 s. 33 m (108 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern blue. Malek Ressam has a fine photo, Mazouz Abdelaziz has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse is the landfall light for Algiers for eastbound ships. Located on a headland just of the N11 highway at Boukikax, about 15 km (9 mi) west of Algiers and 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Aïn Benian. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-008; Admiralty E6621; NGA 22424.
* Sidi Fredj (Sidi Ferruch): Date unknown (probably around 1970). Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); three white flashes every 12 s. 24 m (79 ft) white building, the light being displayed from the top. Malek Ressam has a photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The nature of the building is not known. Sidi Fredj (formerly Sidi Ferruch) is one of the few tourist developments in Algeria and the only harbor in the country catering specifically to yachts. The area, about 20 km (13 mi) west of Algiers, has historic significance as the site of the first French troop landings in 1830. Located at the northeastern corner of the Sidi Fredj peninsula, adjacent to the marina. Site open, tower status unknown. ARLHS ALG-046; Admiralty E6624; NGA 22432.


Chlef Province Lighthouses
Mostaganem Province Lighthouses
Oran Province Lighthouses
Îlot d'Arzew (2): 1848. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); red flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keepers house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dark green. Guyomard and Carceller have a photo, Malek Ressam has a fine closeup, a 2009 photo and a 2007 photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a small island off Cap Arzew, about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of the port of Arzew. Accessible only by boat, although there are clearly good views from the mainland. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-052; Admiralty E6672; NGA 22540.
Cap de l'Aiguille: 1906. Active; focal plane 62 m (203 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern black. Malek Ressam has a distant photo, and a closeup is available. In a view from the see, the rocky pinnacle called l'Aiguille (The Needle) is seen at the left. Located on a sharp cape at the eastern entrance to the Bay of Oran, about 30 km (20 mi) northeast of the city. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-027; Admiralty E6674; NGA 22580.
Oran Jetée du Large (Jetée Fellaoucene) (2): 1905 (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); three white flashes, in a 2+1 pattern, every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) tripod cast iron tower with lantern, gallery, and watch room. Lighthouse painted white. Malek Ressam has a distant view, but Google's satellite view is partly obscured by clouds. This lighthouse replaced the enclosed cast iron tower shown in the Lighthouse Explorer image. Located at the end of the breakwater mole at Oran. Site status unknown, but there should be good views from the waterfront. ARLHS ALG-039; Admiralty E6678; NGA 22584.
Cap Falcon: 1868. Active; focal plane 104 m (341 ft); four white flashes every 25 s. 27 m (89 ft) octagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a 1-story stone keeper's house. Malek Rassem has a closeup photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's distant view, and Google has a good satellite view. Faulx-Briole has two historic photos, one of them an aerial view. A possibly more recent photo by M. Le Gales also shows a signal station in front of the lighthouse; it is not known if this building survives. The lighthouse marks the western entrance to the Bay of Oran and is the traditional landfall light for Oran. Located on the cape, about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Aïn el-Türck. Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-003; Admiralty E6708; NGA 22672.
Île Plane: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); two white flashes every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery. 1-story keeper's cottage or utility building. A photo is available, and Trabas has Capt. Peter's distant view. According to NGA, the tower is now painted black with a red horizontal band (an internationally recognized "isolated danger" daymark). Located on a small island about 7 km (4.5 mi) due west of Cap Falcon. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty E6712; NGA 22676.
Aïn Témouchent Province Lighthouses Îles Habibas: 1879. Active; focal plane 112 m (367 ft); white flash every 5 s. 12 m (39 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern and gallery black. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, the Degree Confluence Project has a good photo, a small photo is also available, and Google has a satellite view. The photo also shows a stone obelisk that may have served as a daymarker before the lighthouse was built. The Îles Habibas consist of two rocky islands about 11 km (7 mi) northwest of Cap Sigale. Located at the summit of the western island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Site manager: Réserve Naturelle Marine des Îles Habibas. ARLHS ALG-001; Admiralty E6714; NGA 22684.
Île Rachgoun (Béni Saf): 1870. Active; focal plane 81 m (266 ft); two red flashes every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse is buff with deep red trim; lantern and gallery black. Malek Ressam has a distant view and a closeup of the lantern, and the lighthouse can be seen in a distant view from the mainland. Located atop an island about 8 km (5 mi) west of Béni Saf. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-002; Admiralty E6718; NGA 22696.
Tlemcen Province Lighthouses Ghazaouet Jetée Nord: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); red light occulting once every 4 s. 15 m (49 ft) post light mounted on a round cylindrical concrete equipment room. Base painted white, post red. A photo is available, the portfolio of photos posted by Muriel Gourves contains several very distant views, and Google has a satellite view. There are several smaller pierhead lights of this same design at Ghazaouet harbor. Located at the end of the breakwater at Ghazaouet (called Nemours in colonial times). Site status unknown. ARLHS ALG-037; Admiralty E6722; NGA 22708.
[Rocher des Deux Frères]: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft) (?); two green flashes every 6 s. 6 m (20 ft) black post light mounted on a square base. Base painted white, lantern black. A 2007 photo is available, Djawad Kettab has a photo, Faulx-Briole has a photo of unknown date, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. The Rocher des Deux Frères is a giant split rock sitting right in the entrance to Ghazaouet harbor, no more than 200 meters (220 yd) south of the north jetty light. Accessible only by boat, and landing must be quite a feat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS ALG-054; Admiralty E6723; NGA 22704.
* Ghazaouet (Nemours) (2): Date unknown (station established 1868). Active; focal plane 92 m (302 ft); three white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical tower rising from the center of a 1-story keeper's house. Entire building painted white. A distant view is available, Faulx-Briole has a photo, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This is the landfall light for Ghazaouet. Located on a headland at the southwestern corner of the harbor, about 300 m (330 yd) south of Rocher des Deux Frères. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS ALG-038; Admiralty E6720; NGA 22700.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Cap Bouac (1847-1930s?), Béjaïa Province. ARLHS ALG-061.
Mers el-Kebir (1868-1940?), Oran Province; ARLHS ALG-025.
Mostaganem (1844-1914?), Mostaganem Province. ARLHS ALG-062.
Philippeville (?-?), Skikda.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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