Lighthouses of Greece: Crete and Aegean Islands

This page covers lighthouses of Crete and the many Greek islands of the Aegean Sea. Crete lies at the southern end of this region, separating the Aegean Sea from the rest of the Mediterranean Sea. The islands of the Aegean are divided broadly into three groups. The Cyclades lie north of Crete in the western Aegean. The Sporades are scattered in the northeastern Aegean, many of them close to the Turkish coast. The Dodecanese lie in the southwestern Aegean, northeast of Crete and off the southwestern coast of Turkey.

The modern Greek nation is a relatively recent creation. After several centuries of rule by the Ottoman Turks, southern Greece won its independence in a bitter struggle during the 1820s. The new Greek nation controlled the Cyclades, but none of the other islands of the Aegean. They were added at various times, as indicated in the notes below for the different island groups.

The listing here proceeds clockwise around the Aegean, beginning with Crete and continuing with the Cyclades, the Sporades, and finally the Dodecanese groups.

The Greek word for a lighthouse, pharos or faros, is the root for the words in many Western European languages. In Greek, nisis is an island, akra is a cape or headland, kolpós is a bay or gulf.

Lighthouses in Greece are maintained by the Hellenic Navy Hydrographic Service.

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.

General Sources
Lighthouses of Greece

A comprehensive site posted by amateur radio operator Pavlidis Savas (SV2AEL); it includes data and photos for 120 traditional Greek lighthouses. Unfortunately, the site has some egregious errors, and it has not been updated since 2001.

Online List of Lights - Greece

Photos posted by Alexander Trabas.

Lighthouses in Greece

Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.

TrekEarth - Lighthouses of Greece

Photos by various contributors.

Lighthouse Service - Photographs

Three pages of photographs of lighthouses posted by the Hellenic Navy.

Leuchttürme an der griechischen Küste

Photos by various photographers posted by Bernd Claußen.

Europäische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten

Historic postcard images posted by Klaus Huelse.

Faros Chania, Crete, September 2006
Creative Commons photo by Oscar Alexander

Faros Spathi, Sérifos, May 2008
Creative Commons photo by Dimitris Tsapelas

Lighthouses of Gavdos and Crete

Lighthouses of Gavdos
Note: Gavdos (Gávdhos) is a small island 27 km (17 mi) south of Chóra Skafion on the south coast of Crete. The island is the southernmost point of Greece and of Europe. The permanent population is only about 50, but several thousand vacationers may be present during the summer. Ferry transportation is available from Sougia and from Chóra Skafion.
* Gávdhos (1): 1880. Inactive since World War II. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) round masonry tower, formerly with lantern and gallery and attached to a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse formerly painted white. The lighthouse was largely destroyed by an air raid during World War II. Savas has small photos of the ruined tower, and a larger photo is available (2/3 of the way down the page). Nearby ruins of a skeletal tower probably represent a light built after World War II.
*** Gávdhos (3): 2003 reconstruction of 1880 lighthouse. Inactive (?). Approx. 9 m (30 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story replica of the keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted dark green. An excellent photo is available, and a 2007 photo shows visitors on the gallery. This replica was built during 2002-03 and is open to the public; the rebuilt keeper's house is a museum. Located above the harbor of Vine, on the north coast of the island. Site open, museum and tower open in season.
* Tripiti (Gávdhos, Ákra Tripití): 1990. Active; focal plane 37 m (121 ft); two white flashes every 16 s. Post light mounted at one end of a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. Ákra Tripití is the southernmost tip of the island, and thus has some fame as the southernmost point of Europe. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRE-007; Admiralty E4840; NGA 16208.
Lighthouses of Kríti (Crete)
Note: The fifth largest island of the Mediterranean, Crete is 260 km (160 mi) long from east to west but only 13 km (8 mi) to 60 km (37 mi) in width. Venice governed Crete from early in the 13th century to late in the 17th century, when the island came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. During the 1800s, repeated rebellions and much political maneuvering led to Crete's becoming an independent Greek republic in 1898. The Cretan Republic was unified with the Kingdom of Greece in 1913, after the end of the Balkan Wars. Most of the historic lighthouses of the island were built by French engineers in the early 1860s.ó
Elefónisi (Elefonisos) (2): Date unknown (station established about 1910). Active; focal plane 43 (141 ft); three white flashes every 24 s. 15 m (49 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted white. Next to the tower are the ruins of a stone keeper's house and a small stone chapel. A photo is available, also a photo of the keeper's house ruins, Trabas has a distant view, and Google has a satellite view. According to Savas's text, the light was built after the Austrian liner Imperatrice wrecked on nearby reefs in 1907 or 1908 (both dates appear). The original lighthouse was a tall stone tower. Located on an island just off the southwestern tip of Crete. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRE-006; Admiralty E4778; NGA 16224.
[Gramvoúsa (2)]: Date unknown (station established 1874). Active; focal plane 108 m (354 ft); red flash every 10 s. 3 m (10 ft) metal beacon on a masonry base. Beacon painted white with a red horizontal band. A Google satellite view proves that the original masonry tower shown in Savas's photo does not survive, but it appears that the 1-story square masonry keeper's house is standing. Gramvoúsa is an island off the northwestern tip of Crete. Located at the northwestern tip of Gramvoúsa. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. Admiralty E4780; NGA 16008.
* Khaniá (Chania, Khanion): 1864 (station established by Venice in the 15th century). Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); red flash every 2.5 s. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on a much older stone base. The light is now displayed from the top of the lantern. The entire lighthouse is unpainted white stone; lantern painted white. Oscar Alexander's October 2006 photo is at the top of this page, Stavros Markopoulos has a 2008 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The port of Chania was built by Venice on the site of the ancient town of Kydonia, and the stone base of this lighthouse is part of the 15th century Venetian lighthouse. In recent years Chania has become a popular cruise ship port, making this one of the best-known and most-often-photographed Greek lighthouses. Savas's photos and Trabas's closeup show it was in poor condition by the late 1990s; a Navy photo seems to be from that period also. In 2006 a thorough restoration was completed; a photo taken 2 May 2006, shows the lighthouse with its lantern removed and the tower wrapped in scaffolding. Located at the end of the breakwater mole on the east side of the entrance to Chania harbor, near the northwestern corner of Crete. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRE-004; Admiralty E4781; NGA 16012.
Drépano (Drepanon) (2): 1948 (station established 1864). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is white; lantern dome is dark green. Trabas has a fine closeup, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse was destroyed by German troops during World War II, but the present lighthouse is a copy. Ákra Drépano is on the south side of the entrance to Soúda Bay, an important NATO naval base. Savas claims the site takes three hours to reach, but the lighthouse is only 2.5 km (1.5 mi) northeast of Kokkino and is accessible by a primitive road. We do not know if the road is open to the public. Site status unknown. ARLHS CRE-014; Admiralty E4784; NGA 16036.
* Iráklion Pier 6 (South Breakwater): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower topped by a circular harbor control room; the light is centered on the roof of the building. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the easternmost pier at Iráklion. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E4800; NGA 16104.
Ágios Ioánnis: 1864. Active (?); focal plane 49 m (161 ft); two white flashes every 12.8 s. 9 m (30 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a ruined 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a metallic dome. In a 2008 photo the lighthouse appears to be in very poor condition. Google has a satellite view. Ákra Ágios Ioánnis is a prominent cape at the northern entrance to the Gulf of Mirambéllou in northeastern Crete. The photo at the bottom of Savas's page is not of this cape. The lighthouse is at the end of knife-edged ridge and is difficult to access by land. Located on the point of the cape, about 25 km (15 mi) north of Ágios Nikólaos. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRE-003; Admiralty E4814; NGA 16124.
Sídhero (Sidero) (2): 1948 (station established 1880). Active; focal plane 45 m (148 ft); white flash every 10 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's house. The tower is unpainted white concrete; lantern painted white with a dark green dome. The original lighthouse was destroyed during World War II. A distant view is available, Wolfgang Kistler has a photo of oil being unloaded at the lighthouse in 1968, and Google has a satellite view. Note: there is another Faros Sídhero on Kérkyra (Corfu) off the west coast of Greece. This lighthouse marks Ákra Sídhero, the northeastern tip of Crete. The cape is on an island connected tenuously to a second island, which in turn is connected tenuously to the mainland. There is a road snaking out to the lighthouse, and apparently this road is open to the public. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS CRE-010; Admiralty E4826; NGA 16160.

Lighthouses of the Southern Kiklades (Cyclades)



Lighthouses of Mílos and Poliagos
Note: Southwesternmost of the Cyclades, Mílos is irregularly shaped, about 23 by 13 km (14 by 8 mi), and has a population of about 4800. Poliagos is an uninhabited island east of Mílos.
Akradhiá (Akradia): 1892. Active; focal plane 88 m (289 ft); white flash every 8 s. 7 m (23 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse unpainted; lantern painted white with a gray metallic roof. This lighthouse guides ships approaching the sheltered bay of Mílos, on the north side of the island. Located on a small island about 3 km (2 mi) northwest of the town of Mílos. Accessible only by boat and a stiff climb. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-038; Admiralty E4240; NGA 15900.
Ormos Milou (Mílos Harbor): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); white flash every 5 s. 5 m round cylindrical lantern, painted white. Stephanie and Sean Ware have a view from the sea, and Ilias Koyntanis also has a distant view. Located atop a promontory sheltering the north side of the harbor of Mílos. Site status unknown. Admiralty E4242; NGA 15904.
Políagos (Poliegos): 1898. Active; focal plane 138 m (453 ft); white flash every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A 2008 photo is available, Ellen Jurischk has a distant view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This lighthouse stands at the western edge of a 16 km (10 mi) wide passage between the Mílos group and Folégandros. Located on Ákra Maskula, the southeastern tip of the island of Políagos, which is southeast of Kímolos. Accessible only by boat and a stiff climb. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-095; Admiralty E4252; NGA 15920.


Lighthouses of Páros
Note: Located near the center of the Cyclades, Páros is a roughly circular island about 12 km (7.5 mi) in diameter. Páros, on the west coast, and Náousa, on the north, are the principal towns and ports. The island has a population of about 13,000.
Ágios Fokás (2): Date unknown (station established 1867). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white flash every 4 s. 8m (26 ft) square skeletal tower mounted atop a small stone building, part of the original light station. A 1-story stone keeper's house stands nearby. The buildings are unpainted; light tower painted white. Trabas has an excellent photo, and Google has a satellite view. At the bottom of Sava's page is a photo showing a free-standing skeletal light tower; apparently this was an earlier light at this station. Located on a promontory sheltering the north side of the harbor of Páros. Apparently accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-052; Admiralty E4286; NGA 15824.
* Kórakas (Náousa): 1887. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); one long (2 s) white flash every 12 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A closeup and another photo are available, also a 2009 photo and a view from the sea, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Note: there is another Kórakas lighthouse on Lésvos (see below). Located on a promontory sheltering the west side of the harbor of Náousa. Accessible by a primitive road (4WD recommended). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-086; Admiralty E4290; NGA 15836.
Lighthouse of Sérifos
Note: Sérifos is a small island in the western Cyclades, about 40 km (25 mi) north of Mílos. It has a population of about 1400.
* Spathi: 1901. Active; focal plane 67 m (230 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A photo by Dimitris Tsapelas is at the top of this page, Matteo Oriani has a photo, another photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the southern tip of the island. Accessible by road (4WD recommended). Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-121; Admiralty E4228; NGA 15764.

Lighthouses of the Northern Kiklades (Cyclades)

Lighthouses of Kéa
Támelos: 1893. Active; focal plane 60 m (197 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 7.5 m (25 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome green. Teddy Triant has a 2008 photo, Claußen has two photos, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on Ákra Támelos, the southern point of Kéa. There is a road to the lighthouse; local guidance may be needed. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-126; Admiralty E4218; NGA 15624.
Lighthouses of Síros (Syros) and Míkonos (Mykonos)
Note: Síros occupies a strategic position in the center of the Cyclades, east of Kéa, southwest of Tínos, and west of Míkonos. Ermoupoli (Hermoupolis) is the principal town of the island. Míkonos lies at the southeastern end of the ridge that also includes Tínos and Ándros. It has a population of about 6200 and is one of the best known tourist attractions of the Aegean, known for its beaches and jetset villas.
Lighthouses of Tínos
Note: Tínos is located immediately southeast of Ándros, the two islands being separated by a strait about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) wide. The island is about 20 km (13 mi) long and has a population of about 8000. Unfortunately, none of the islands' three lighthouses is readily accessible.
* Liváda: 1910. Active; focal plane 41 m (135 ft); one long (1.5 s) white flash every 15 s. 10 m (33 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the front of a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white. Alexander Pagidas has an October 2005 photo showing the lighthouse in very poor condition, but an August 2007 photo shows good evidence of restoration. A distant view is also available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located at the end of a spectacular narrow promontory at the northeastern corner of Tínos, near the village of Liváda. Accessible by a hiking trail. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-090; Admiralty E4322; NGA 15744.
Planítis (Pánormos) (1): 1886. Inactive. 8 m (26 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with gallery, unpainted, attached to the ruins of a 1-story stone keeper's house. The active light (focal plane 80 m (262 ft); two white flashes every 14 s) is on a square skeletal tower in front of the historic lighthouse. Zack Sofianos has a closeup photo. Planítis is an island sheltering the north side of the bay of Pánormos, on the north coast of Tínos. Accessible only by boat. Site apparently open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-109; Admiralty E4320; NGA 15738.
Dísvato: 1903. Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome. Zack Sofianos has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on an island off the northwestern tip of Tínos, the lighthouse guides ships through the Tínos-Ándros Strait. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-062; Admiralty E4318; NGA 15736.
Lighthouses of Ándros
Note: Ándros is the largest and northernmost of the Cyclades. Located only 10 km (6 mi) southeast of Euboea, it is about 40 km (25 mi) long and as much as 16 km (10 mi) wide. The permanent population is about 9000.
* Gávrio (1): 1874. Inactive for many years. 8 m (26 ft) stone tower rising from the seaward end of a ruined stone keeper's house. The modern light (focal plane about 96 m (315 ft); flash every 2 s, red or green depending on direction) is on a square skeletal tower next to the historic lighthouse. Karabatsos Theodoros has closeup photo, a distant view shows the lighthouse atop the hill in the distance, and Google has a satellite view. According to Savas, the lighthouse had a focal plane of 96 meters, and this seems reasonable based on the Google imagery. NGA lists the focal plane of the modern light as only 15 m (49 ft), but this figure appears to be the tower height rather than the focal plane. Located atop a steep hill on the west side of the entrance to the harbor of Gávrio, the principal port of Ándros, near the northwestern end of the island. Savas says the lighthouse is accessible by road from Gávrio, although the terrain looks rather rough. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-126; Admiralty E4332.5; NGA 15660.

Lighthouses of the Sporades

Lighthouses of the Western Sporades Lithári (Skíros): 1894. Active; focal plane 96 m (315 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 12 m (39 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. No recent photo available; Google has a distant satellite view. Skíros (Skyros), the southernmost of the Sporades, is located about 40 km (25 mi) northeast of Kimi, Évvoia. The island is about 25 km (15 mi) long and has a population of about 3000. The lighthouse is located on Ákra Lithári, the southeastern tip of the island. Apparently accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-092; Admiralty E4454; NGA 16444.
Répi (Repion): 1914. Active; focal plane 42 m (138 ft); two flashes every 10 s, white or red depending on direction. 15 m round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. Claußen has good photos, a 2007 photo is available, Trabas has a view from the sea, and Google has a very distant satellite view. This light and the next one frame a deep water passage between the islands of Skíathos and Skópelos, used by coastwise shipping. Located on Répi, a small island off the east coast of Skíathos and about 4 km (2.5 mi) east southeast of Skíathos village. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-137; Admiralty E4472; NGA 16496.
* Gourouni (Guruni, Skópelos): 1884. Active; focal plane 70 m (230 ft); three white flashes every 30 s. 14 m (46 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with unpainted stone trim; lantern dome painted green. A fine 2007 closeup is available, Claußen also has good photos, and Google has a distant satellite view. This lighthouse is on the island of Skópelos, largest of the chain of islands off the coast of Thessaly known as the Voriai (Northern) Sporades. The lighthouse appears to be in excellent condition. The island is about 20 km (13 mi) long and has a population of about 5000. Located at the northwestern tip of the island, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Glossa. Accessible by an unpaved road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-071; Admiralty E4474; NGA 16480.
Psathoúra: 1895. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 10 s. 25 m (82 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. Vasilis Laringakis has a good view from the sea, and a second view is available. Psathoúra is a small, uninhabited island at the northeastern end of the Voriai Sporades. The light guides ships bound for Thessaloníki around this island chain. Located at the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-029; Admiralty E4482; NGA 16464.
Lighthouses of Límnos (Lemnos)
Note: Límnos (or Lemnos) is a substantial island located in the northeastern Aegean about 65 km (40 mi) west of the entrance to the Dardenelles. The population of the island is about 17,000. Like the other Greek islands of the eastern Aegean, it was part of the Ottoman Empire until captured by Greece during the Balkan Wars of 1912-13. The decisive naval battle of the First Balkan War was fought off Límnos in January 1913; the Greek victory in that battle opened the way for Greece to occupy Límnos and many of the other islands controlled by the Ottomans.
* Mírina (Kastro) (1) (?): 1912 (Ottoman). Inactive. 5 m (16 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, mounted atop the walls of an ancient castle. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. According to Savas, this lighthouse is mounted "at the top of the castle." This is a reference to a fort built by Venice, which occupied Límnos during the 16th and early 17th century. The survival of this lighthouse is doubtful; it can't be found in Google satellite imagery or in available photos of the ruined fort. The modern light (focal plane 83 m (272 ft); white flash every 6 s) is mounted atop a 2 m (9 ft) square concrete shelter just inside the castle walls. Trabas has a closeup of that light, and Google has a satellite view. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-079; Admiralty E4575; NGA 16904.
* Pláka: 1912 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 55 m (180 ft); three white flashes every 30 s; in addition, a continuous red light is displayed at 36 m (118 ft). 18 m (59 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted, lantern painted white with a green dome. Claußen has photos, and a view from the sea is available. Located at the end of a sharp promontory at the northeastern corner of Límnos, about 3 km (2 mi) north of the village of Pláka. Accessible by road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-107; Admiralty E4572; NGA 16920.
Kombi (1): 1912 (Ottoman). Inactive. 7 m (23 ft) round stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. Lantern removed. The lighthouse is unpainted. No closeup photo available, but the lighthouse can be seen in a distant view (for a better look, click on the photo), and Google has a satellite view. The modern light (focal plane 61 m (200 ft); two quick white flashes every 6 s) is on a square skeletal tower, painted white. Located atop Kombi, an island just off the west side of the entrance to the bay of Moúdhros, on the south coast of Límnos. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-083; Admiralty E4578; NGA 16888.
Lighthouses of Lésvos (Lesbos)
Note: Very close to the Turkish coast, Lésvos is the largest island of the eastern Aegean and the most populous, with about 90,000 permanent residents. Mitilíni (Mytilene), on the southeast coast, is the capital and largest town. The island was part of the Ottoman Empire from 1462 to 1912.
*** Megalonísi (Sígri, Meganísi) (2): 1947 (station established 1861). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 15 m (49 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story concrete keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted white concrete; lantern dome painted green. A 2009 photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Megalonísi (Big Island) is an island sheltering the harbor of Sígri, a port at the western end of Lésvos. The original lighthouse was destroyed by German troops during World War II. Located near the southern end of Megalonísi. The island is accessible by boats that operate daily from Sígri except in bad weather. Site open; photos indicate the tower is open for climbing. ARLHS GRE-097; Admiralty E4598; NGA 19732.
* Molivos: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, 2.5 s on, 7.5 s off. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted white. Nikos Ntarlagiannis has a closeup photo, a second closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Ákra Molivos, a promontory on the north coast of Lésvos about 2 km (1.2 mi) northeast of Míthimna; this is only 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Cape Baba, Turkey. Accessible by a short walk from nearby roads. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E4595; NGA 19740.
Kórakas (Ákra Kórakas, Ákra Skamnia, Sikaminias) (2): Date unknown (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) round lantern, painted white, built in front of a ruined 1-story keeper's house. Moumtzis Stelios has a good view from the sea, 2009 photo and a closeup of the lantern are available, and Google has a satellite view. Note: there is another Kórakas lighthouse on Páros (see above). Located on Ákra Kórakas, at the northeastern corner of Lésvos about 40 km (25 mi) northwest of Mitilíni. According to Savas, the site is difficult to reach on foot. ARLHS GRE-086; Admiralty E4594; NGA 19752.
* Mitilíni (Ákra Kastro, Fykiotrypa) (3?): 2007 (station established 1863). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); three white flashes every 14 s. 6 m (20 ft) mast mounted on a 1-story concrete equipment building. Building painted white with a red tile roof. A 2008 closeup and a second photo are available, and Google has a satellite view. Claußen has 2006 photos of the previous light, a 6 m (20 ft) skeletal tower mounted on the ruins of a 1-1/2 story lighthouse. Huelse has a postcard view that shows a still earlier version of this station, perhaps the second lighthouse. Its history is unknown. The original (1863) lighthouse had a higher focal plane and must have been farther from the water. Located on a promontory about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) northeast of the Mitilíni waterfront. Accessible by a short walk from the coastal road. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-099; Admiralty E4607; NGA 19756.
* Mitilíni Inner Harbor: Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9 m (30 ft); red flash every 1.5 s. 6 m (20 ft) mast attached to a 1-story masonry equipment building. Mast painted white with one red horizontal band; building painted white with a red roof. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short pier on the south side of the entrance to the inner harbor. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty E4608; NGA 19768.
Lighthouses of Psará and Chíos
Note: Chíos, with a population of about 55,000, lies only 5 km (3 mi) off the central east coast of Turkey. Long a center of Greek culture in the Aegean, it is a popular tourist destination. Psará is a much smaller island in the central Aegean about 16 km (10 mi) northwest of Chíos; it has only one settlement with a population of about 400.
Ágios Georgíos (Kokinopulo, Psará): 1909 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); white flash every 10 s. 9 m (30 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted green. A closeup photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on Ákra Ágios Georgíos (Cape St. Goerge), the cape at the southeastern corner of Psará. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-054; Admiralty E4632; NGA 19900.
Pasas (Oinousés): 1885 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 69 m (226 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) octagonal stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome. Google has a satellite view. Oddly, NGA lists this light as an 8 m (26 ft) round tower with dwelling. This lighthouse marks a major hazard in the northern end of the Chíos Strait, which separates Chíos from the Turkish coast. Located on a small island off the east end of the larger island of Oinouses (or Inouses), about 25 km (15 mi) northeast of Chíos town and 8 km (5 mi) west of the Turkish coast. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-104; Admiralty E4654; NGA 19968.
Lighthouse of Ikaría (Icaria)
Note: Ikaría is the southernmost of the Sporades, located 19 km (12 mi) southwest of Samos and 35 km (22 mi) east of Míkonos. The island is 32 km (20 mi) long and has a population of about 7000.
Papas: 1890 (Ottoman). Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); one long (1.3 s) white flash every 20 s. 11 m (36 ft) round cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-story masonry keeper's house. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted white with a green dome; house painted white. Nikos Karaftis has a 2008 photo, a distant view is available, and another distant view, from the sea, shows the isolated situation of the station. This lighthouse marks the broad passage between Ikaría and Míkonos, leading to the central Aegean. Located on Ákra Papas, the southwestern tip of the island. The light is not accessible by road, but it may be possible to hike to it. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS GRE-103; Admiralty E4690 NGA 20068.

Lighthouses of the Dhodhekanisos (Dodecanese Islands)

Note: Ródos (Rhodes) and the smaller islands of the Dodecanese, located in the southeastern corner of the Aegean, remained in the Ottoman Empire until they were seized by Italy in 1912, during the Balkan Wars. After World War I, the Treaty of Lausanne confirmed Italian sovereignty in 1923. Following World War II, the islands were under British occupation until the UN peace treaty with Italy transferred them to Greece in 1947.
Kalólimnos (Imia) (1): 1864 (Ottoman). Inactive. 6 m (20 ft) round cylindrical stone tower with lantern, attached to a 1-story stone keeper's house. The active light (focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 3 s) is on a short skeletal tower in front of the historic tower. This lighthouse is on Kalólimnos, a small island in the center of the strait between the Greek island of Kálimnos and Turkey's Bodrum peninsula. Located on the highest point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-076; Admiralty E4708; NGA 20180.
Psérimos (Ákra Rousá): Date unknown. Active; focal plane 43 m (141 ft); two flashes, a white flash followed by a red flash, every 10 s. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted white. No photo available, but Google has a satellite view. Psérimos is an island about 8 km (5 mi) long and about 4 km (2.5 mi) north of Kos. Located at the southeastern tip of the island. Site status unknown. Admiralty E4711; NGA 20196.
Strogilí Megísti (Ipsili, Strongili, Megísti, Kastelorizo): 1917 (French). Active; focal plane 107 m (351 ft); white flash every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) round concrete (?) tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome painted green. Claußen has an excellent photo, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse stands atop a small island 6 km (3.5 mi) southeast of Megísti. Megísti is the ancient name, and now the official name, for the island group better known for many years as Kastelorizo. Located only 3 km (2 mi) off the southwestern coast of Turkey, Megísti/Kastelorizo is a Greek outpost 110 km (70 mi) east of Rhodes. Occupied by French troops in 1915, during World War I, the island was transferred to Italy by the Treaty of Sèvres in 1921. Administered as part of Italy's Dodecanese Islands colony, the island was transferred to Greece with the rest of the Dodecanese in 1947. The lighthouse was built during the French occupation. Located near the southwestern end of the central ridge of the island of Strogilí Megísti (also called Ipsili or Strongili). Accessible only by boat. Site status unknown. ARLHS GRE-053; Admiralty E5848; NGA 20584.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

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