Gustavia Lighthouse

The Gustavia Lighthouse is a 20th-century lighthouse located in Gustavia, the capital of Saint Barthélemy in the French West Indies. It was constructed in 1961 on the grounds of Fort Gustav, overlooking the Gustavia harbor.^[1]

Gustavia Lighthouse

View of Gustavia Lighthouse
Location	Gustavia, Saint Barthélemy, France
Coordinates	17.901061°N 62.851533°W / 17.901061; -62.851533
Tower
Constructed	1961
Construction	concrete (tower)
Automated	1972
Height	9 metres (30 feet)
Shape	conical
Markings	white (body), red (dome)
Power source	mains electricity
Light
First lit	1962
Focal height	64 metres (210 feet)
Light source	electricity
Range	11 km (6.8 mi) (white), 8 km (5.0 mi) (red), 8 km (5.0 mi) (green)
Characteristic	white, green, red / 12 s

Today the lighthouse is a popular location for tourists, hikers, and photographers,^[1][2] as well as a site for viewing regattas, such as the St Barths Bucket Regatta.^[3][4]

History

The lighthouse was constructed in 1961 by the Direction des Phares and Balises.^[1][5] It was built on the grounds of Fort Gustav,^[1] one of multiple 18th-century forts that protected Gustavia. Construction took six months, and was done by two laborers: Joseph Gréaux de Flamands and Louis Turbé de Public.^[6]

The lighthouse's lamp was first lit in 1962,^[6] by lighthouse keeper Albert Lédée (who would be lighthouse keeper for almost 30 years).^[6] Originally, the lamp was gas powered.^[1][6] It required three cylinders each month, which were replaced by Lédée monthly.^[6]

In 1972, after switching to electricity, the operation of the lighthouse lamp was automated.^[1][6] An electronic cell triggers the lamp's mechanism based on brightness.^[6] Additionally, batteries were installed at the bottom of the tower to provide back-up power to the light in the event of power loss from a hurricane.^[6]

Characteristics

The lighthouse is 9 metres (30 feet) tall. Its focal plane is 64 meters (210 feet) above sea level. The round conical tower has a single red band at the top, with "Gustavia" written in white. Its light flashes every 12 seconds, white, green, or red depending on direction,^[7][8] with a range of 8–11 km (5.0–6.8 mi). Some have noted that the Gustavia Lighthouse does not meet the French Bureau of Lighthouses and Signals criteria for lighthouse height or range.^[5][9]

• 
  Gustavia Lighthouse with canon below
• 
  Gustavia Lighthouse and canons on hill above Gustavia Harbor
• 
  View of Gustavia harbor from the base of Gustavia Lighthouse

See also

• List of lighthouses in France
• List of lighthouses in Saint Barthélemy
• Bureau Phares et Balises(Bureau of Lighthouses and Signals)