Rumeli Feneri
Encyclopedia
Rumeli Feneri, aka Türkeli Feneri, a historical lighthouse
still in use, is located on the European side of Bosphorus' Black Sea
entrance in Istanbul
, Turkey. Rumeli (or Rumelia
) is the former name for the Turkish lands in Europe
. It is across from the Anadolu Feneri
lighthouse, which is on the Asian side of the strait at a distance of 2 nmi (3.7 km). A line connecting the two lighthouses marks the northern boundary of the Port of Istanbul. The place where the lighthouse is erected is named Rumelifeneri, which today is a fishermen's village in Sarıyer
district.
The lighthouse was built by the French in order to provide safe navigation for the French and British war ships entering the Istanbul Strait from Black Sea during the Crimean War
(1853-1856). The lighthouse went in service on May 15, 1856 together with its counterpart. It was run by the French until 1933 when the 100-year concession was cancelled and the Turkish authorities took over. Today, it is maintained by the Coastal Safety Authority of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.
The lighthouse is situated on a hillside 58 m (190.3 ft) high above the sea level and the entirely white painted tower has a height of 30 m (98.4 ft). It is the tallest lighthouse in Turkey. The tower has the form of a two-staged octagonal prism
. Initially, it was lit by kerosene
that was later replaced by Dalén light
using carbide
(acetylene
gas). Today, the light source is electricity, however, a butane
gas lighting system is also installed for backup purposes. The Fresnel lens
with 500 mm (1.6 ft) focal length allows the white light that group flashes every 12 seconds, a range of 18 nmi (33.3 km).
The lighthouse is listed in Turkey under the code "TUR-053" and its radio call sign is TC1RLH.
Rumeli Feneri is open to public visit as a historical site.
Lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
still in use, is located on the European side of Bosphorus' Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
entrance in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey. Rumeli (or Rumelia
Rumelia
Rumelia was an historical region comprising the territories of the Ottoman Empire in Europe...
) is the former name for the Turkish lands in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It is across from the Anadolu Feneri
Anadolu Feneri
Anadolu Feneri is a historical lighthouse still in use, which is located on the Asian side of Bosphorus' Black Sea entrance in Istanbul, Turkey. Anadolu is the Turkish name for Anatolia. It is across from the lighthouse Rumeli Feneri, which is on the European side of the strait at a distance of...
lighthouse, which is on the Asian side of the strait at a distance of 2 nmi (3.7 km). A line connecting the two lighthouses marks the northern boundary of the Port of Istanbul. The place where the lighthouse is erected is named Rumelifeneri, which today is a fishermen's village in Sarıyer
Sariyer
Sarıyer is the northernmost district of Istanbul, Turkey, on the European side of the city. With a long shore along the water, the district boasts both a beautiful coastline and a lush forest. The Sarıyer district is a huge area consisting of the villages on the European side of the Bosphorus from...
district.
The lighthouse was built by the French in order to provide safe navigation for the French and British war ships entering the Istanbul Strait from Black Sea during the Crimean War
Crimean War
The Crimean War was a conflict fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the French Empire, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Sardinia. The war was part of a long-running contest between the major European powers for influence over territories of the declining...
(1853-1856). The lighthouse went in service on May 15, 1856 together with its counterpart. It was run by the French until 1933 when the 100-year concession was cancelled and the Turkish authorities took over. Today, it is maintained by the Coastal Safety Authority of the Ministry of Transport and Communication.
The lighthouse is situated on a hillside 58 m (190.3 ft) high above the sea level and the entirely white painted tower has a height of 30 m (98.4 ft). It is the tallest lighthouse in Turkey. The tower has the form of a two-staged octagonal prism
Octagonal prism
In geometry, the octagonal prism is the sixth in an infinite set of prisms, formed by square sides and two regular octagon caps.If faces are all regular, it is a semiregular polyhedron.- Use :...
. Initially, it was lit by kerosene
Kerosene
Kerosene, sometimes spelled kerosine in scientific and industrial usage, also known as paraffin or paraffin oil in the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland and South Africa, is a combustible hydrocarbon liquid. The name is derived from Greek keros...
that was later replaced by Dalén light
Dalén light
The Dalén light was the predominant form of light source in lighthouses from the 1900s through the 1960s, when electric lighting had become dominant. The system was invented by Gustaf Dalén and marketed by his company AGA. Dalén later invented the AGA cooker in 1922. The Dalén light is notable...
using carbide
Carbide
In chemistry, a carbide is a compound composed of carbon and a less electronegative element. Carbides can be generally classified by chemical bonding type as follows: salt-like, covalent compounds, interstitial compounds, and "intermediate" transition metal carbides...
(acetylene
Acetylene
Acetylene is the chemical compound with the formula C2H2. It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in pure form and thus is usually handled as a solution.As an alkyne, acetylene is unsaturated because...
gas). Today, the light source is electricity, however, a butane
Butane
Butane is a gas with the formula C4H10 that is an alkane with four carbon atoms. The term may refer to any of two structural isomers, or to a mixture of them: in the IUPAC nomenclature, however, butane refers only to the unbranched n-butane isomer; the other one being called "methylpropane" or...
gas lighting system is also installed for backup purposes. The Fresnel lens
Fresnel lens
A Fresnel lens is a type of lens originally developed by French physicist Augustin-Jean Fresnel for lighthouses.The design allows the construction of lenses of large aperture and short focal length without the mass and volume of material that would be required by a lens of conventional design...
with 500 mm (1.6 ft) focal length allows the white light that group flashes every 12 seconds, a range of 18 nmi (33.3 km).
The lighthouse is listed in Turkey under the code "TUR-053" and its radio call sign is TC1RLH.
Rumeli Feneri is open to public visit as a historical site.