Cordouan Lighthouse
Cordouan lighthouse (French pronunciation: [kɔʁdwɑ̃]) is an active lighthouse located 7 kilometres (4.3 miles) at sea, near the mouth of the Gironde estuary in France. At a height of 67.5 metres (221 ft), it is the tenth-tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world.
Cordouan Lighthouse, November 2006 | |
| Location | Gironde, France |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 45°35′10.84″N 1°10′24.48″W |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1611 |
| Foundation | 3-storey cylindrical basement |
| Construction | stone tower |
| Automated | 2006 |
| Height | 67.5 metres (221 ft) |
| Shape | conical tower with three galleries and lantern |
| Markings | unpainted light gray tower, darker gray gallery and lantern |
| Heritage | Monument historique World Heritage Site |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1788 |
| Focal height | 197 feet (60 m) |
| Lens | First order Fresnel lens |
| Range | white 22 nautical miles (41 km; 25 mi) red/green 18 nautical miles (33 km; 21 mi) |
| Characteristic | Occ. W R G (depending on direction) 12s |
Monument historique | |
| Designated | 1862 |
UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
| Type | Cultural |
| Criteria | (i)(iv) |
| Designated | 2021 (44th session) |
| Reference no. | 1625 |
The Tour de Cordouan, the 'Patriarch of Lighthouses' is by far the oldest lighthouse in France, with construction starting in 1584 and finishing in 1611. Designed by leading Paris architect Louis de Foix, the lighthouse is something of a Renaissance masterpiece, drawing inspiration from Roman mausoleums, and the palaces, cathedrals, and forts of the Renaissance. Three stories were added in the 18th century.
Because of its outstanding Renaissance architecture and its testimony to the development of lighthouses, the Cordouan Lighthouse was listed as a historic monument in 1862, and recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2021.