The Slangkop Lighthouse is a white circular lighthouse located in the town of
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Kommetjie. It is the tallest cast iron tower in South Africa, standing 41 meters high
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with a circumference of 33 meters. The lighthouse consists of 272 cast iron
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segments each weighing 500 kg, made in England and bolted together on site.
Photo by ,@majesticash06
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The lighthouse forms part of the Marine Protected Area of the Table Mountain
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National Park and is also one of South Africa’s oldest lighthouses.
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Sir Francis Hely-Hutchinson, the Governor of The Cape of Good Hope, had it
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constructed as a safeguard against shipwrecks along the rocky shoreline of the
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Southern Coast.
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The First World War halted the construction process, and it was only completed in
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1919, instead of 1914.
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Since then, its revolving electric light, which has an approximate candle power of 5
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000 000 C.D, flashes four times per 30 seconds. The light reaches 33 nautical miles
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out to sea.
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The Slangkop Lighthouse used to be a three-man station, but following its
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automation in 1979, it has been manned by a Senior Light keeper only. The
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lighthouse draws its power from the Cape Municipality and has a standby diesel
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generator that takes over in the event of a break in the mains supply.
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The lighthouse is open to the public. Guided tours are offered at the lighthouse on
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weekdays from 10 am to 3 pm. During the tour, you can climb the spiral staircase to
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the top of the lighthouse and witness the magnificent views it offers.
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It is 144 steps to reach the top but the view is absolutely worth the climb. You will
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also learn more about the history with interesting stories about the lighthouse from
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the Senior Lighthouse Keeper.
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Although fully automated, the Slangkop Lighthouse is one of the few lighthouses in
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the world that is still manned by a lighthouse keeper. If you’ve ever wanted to shake
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hands with a real live Lighthouse Keeper? Be sure to pay a visit on your travels around the peninsula.nnContact telephone +27 (0)21 783-1717 for more information.