Ashdod Light
Lighthouse
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ashdod Light (Hebrew: מגדלור אשדוד), is a lighthouse in Ashdod, Israel. It is located in Yona Hill (Hebrew: גבעת יונה), a 53 metres (174 ft) above sea level hill at the northern part Ashdod, just south of the Port of Ashdod. The site and the lighthouse are closed to the public.
| |
 | |
| Location | Yona Hill, Ashdod, Israel |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 31°48′50″N 34°38′47″E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1966  |
| Construction | concrete tower |
| Height | 42 m (138 ft) |
| Shape | upper half cylindrical, lower half triangular prism |
| Markings | upper half red and white checkerboard, lower half gray concrete |
| Light | |
| Focal height | 76 m (249 ft) |
| Range | 22 nmi (41 km; 25 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl(3) W 20s |
The lighthouse is listed as active on the NGA List of Lights of 2019,[1] as well as on the April 2021 update of The Lighthouse Directory.[2] However, some less official sources claim that it is inactive at least since November 2009.[3][4]
The lighthouse appeared on an Israeli stamp issued 26 November 2009.[3] It also appeared on the first day of issue postmark for that series of stamps.
History
The lighthouse was built in 1966 as part of the construction of the port facilities.[3] It used the glass optic removed from the Jaffa Light which was decommissioned in the same year.[5]
The lighthouse was a distinctive mark of the city of Ashdod, appearing in many publications.[4]
Youth centre
In December 2020, the municipality of Ashdod announced that a youth centre is set to established at the facility beneath the lighthouse, after the transfer of power from the Ministry of Defense has been greenlit.[6] In May 2022, it has been decided that the planned-youth centre will carry the name of Ilan Gilon, former member of Knesset of the Meretz party and deputy of mayor Zvi Zilker – following his death earlier that month. At his time as deputy mayor, he was in charge of the culture and youth in the city, and as a teenager was considered a major social activist.[7][8]
