Malacca Light

Malacca Light

Location	Malacca Town, Malacca, Malaysia
Year first constructed	1849[1]
Tower shape	Square tower
Markings / pattern	None—all white
Height	13 m (43 ft)[1]
Focal height	118 m (387 ft) (focal plane)[1]
ARLHS number	WMA-029[1]

The Malacca Light is an inactive lighthouse in Malacca Town, in the state of Malacca, Malaysia.

History

Commissioned during British rule in Malacca, the lighthouse was completed in 1849 as an additional beacon for ships travelling along the Strait of Malacca. The lighthouse is also notable for its location within the old harbour town of Malacca, atop St. Paul's Hill on the south side of the harbour and affront the ruins of St. Paul Church (also known as the St Francis Xavier's Church). The lighthouse was eventually deactivated; the functionality of the lighthouse diminished further as the Malaccan harbour underwent land reclamation during the late-20th century. The building is now part of Malacca Town's collection of tourist attractions.

Design

As the structure is located within an urban area, the Malacca Light is essentially an approximately 13 metre (43 feet) high,^[1] three-storey square tower with no outbuildings, assuming an angular form different from many of its cylindrical and cone shaped counterparts throughout the region. The masonry tower consists mainly of a lantern and gallery mounted on an arched base,^[1] and is solely accessible from ground level via a small ladder. Having been designed and built during the mid-19th century, the lighthouse adopted basic elements from neoclassical architecture. The tower is painted white.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f} Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Malaya (West Malaysia)". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. http://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/lighthouse/myw.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-24.