Pasig River Light
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| Location | San Nicolas, Manila, Philippines |
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| Coordinates | 14°35′47.26″N 120°57′38.11″E / 14.5964611°N 120.9605861°ECoordinates: 14°35′47.26″N 120°57′38.11″E / 14.5964611°N 120.9605861°E |
| Year first lit | 1846 |
| Deactivated | 1992 |
| Foundation | Masonry |
| Construction | Masonry |
| Tower shape | Cylindrical three-tiered tower[1] |
| Markings / pattern | White tower with white cupola and balcony |
| Height | 49 feet (15 m) |
| Focal height | 52 feet (16 m) |
| Original lens | Sixth-Order, Dioptric |
| Characteristic | Fixed red light (original) |
| Admiralty number | F2669 |
| NGA number | 14324 |
| ARLHS number | PHI-050[2] |
The Pasig River Light was the first lighthouse erected in the Philippines. It was then located on the north jetty at the mouth of Pasig River, marking the entrance to the river for vessels around Manila Bay, looking to dock on the ports along the banks of the river in Manila.
History
A light station has been established on the site since 1642. The first lighthouse structure was erected by the ruling Spanish government and lit on September 1, 1846.[3] From its location at the mouth of the historic river, which divides Manila into two sections, it was a welcoming beacon for over a century to all mariners of inter-island vessels when bringing their vessels up into the river for berthing along its busy wharves.
The lighthouse, which was known locally as Farola (Spanish for "lighthouse") was one of the most conspicuous landmarks in the harbor of Manila in the early part of the 20th century.[4] The building and later expansion of the Port of Manila, south of the light station and subsequent land reclamations, has greatly altered the location of the lighthouse obscuring it from the wide expanse of Manila Bay.
The lighthouse was demolished in 1992 and was replaced with an architecturally simpler lighthouse with the new tower built on the foundation of the old one.[5] The Philippine Coast Guard Station of Manila is located adjacent to the lighthouse and the community that developed from the reclaimed lands is now known as "Parola" (Filipino for "lighthouse").
The present tower is a white conical concrete structure with a height of 46 feet (14.02 m) and a focal plane of 43 feet (13.11 m). The old tower was taller at 49 feet (14.94 m). Lighthouses in the Philippines are maintained by the Philippine Coast Guard.
See also
External links
- Images of the new lighthouse from Backpacking Philippines and Asia.
- Rowlett, Russ. "Spanish Lighthouses of the Philippines". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
- New Pasig River Light (LS NH Entrance) at the Philippine Coast Guard Web Site
References
- ↑ Pasig River Light at the Lighthouse Depot, Retrieved on 2010-05-23.
- ↑ "Rio Pasig Light ARLHS PHI-050". Retrieved 2010-05-23.
- ↑ "El Archipielago Filipino", p.531. Washington: Imprenta del Gobierno, 1900.
- ↑ Vargas, Jose B. (1934). A Brief Outline of Aids to Navigation. Port of Manila and other Philippine Ports Yearbook. p. 21.
- ↑ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Northern Philippines". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
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