Short Video.....................

Dondra Head Lighthouse

The Tallest Lighthouse in the Island

Considered to be one of the more iconic lighthouses in the entire island, the Dondra Head Lighthouse serves to be the island’s tallest lighthouse, standing at a height of 160 feet. As it is located in the southernmost tip of Sri Lanka, it also serves to be one of the more important lighthouses still in operation. The lighthouse consists of 7 floors, which can be accessed by the 196-step stairway, which can be quite strenuous to the legs if you are to take the journey to the top. The view from the top is simply breathtaking, as it is possible to even the Bulutota Mountain Range if you look north. However, keep in mind that access to the top is only granted through special permission from the authorities.

This video Recorded and Edited by My Self

Editing Software - Capcut

Video Resolution - 1080p/60fps

History

Dondra Head Lighthouse was designed by Sir James Nicholas Douglass, with construction, by William Douglass of the Imperial Lighthouse Service, commencing in November 1887.^[All the building materials including the bricks and steel were imported from England. The granite rock was supplied from quarries at Dalbeattie in Scotland and Penryn in Cornwall. The lighthouse was completed and commissioned in March 1890.The combined cost of erection of the lighthouse and the Barberyn Lighthouse was £30,000 and was paid for by dues collected at the Basses lighthouses.

Lens

Dondra Head was one of a limited number of lighthouses that were designed to house the large Hyperradiant Fresnel lenses that became available at the end of the 19th century. Four of these lenses were used in Sri Lankan lights, all made by Chance Brothers in England.

The rotating lens however was removed in 2020 and replaced by a static flashing LED light which has reduced the visibility range of the lighthouse considerably.

Features

The lighthouse is 49 m (161 ft) high and contains 7 floors, 14 two panel yellow colour windows and 196 steps to the top. Dondra Head is also one of four international lighthouse in Sri Lanka. It was modernized in 2000, with the introduction of a Differential Global Positioning System and is computer linked to the other major lighthouses around the coast.