Historic Patara lighthouse to shine again after years of darkness

ANTALYA

The restoration project in the 2,000-year-old lighthouse in the ancient city of Patara, the Mediterranean hotspot of Antalya's Kaş district, has reached its final stages, with the goal of relighting the beacon later this year.

The historic lighthouse was originally constructed by Roman Emperor Nero in 64 AD and remained intact for about 1,300 years — until it was destructed as a result of an earthquake and a following tsunami in 1481, with its ruins getting lost amid sand dunes.

Moving in a bid to evoke this glamorous structure, officials started the revival efforts in 2020 — during the following excavation works around the lighthouse, they uncovered thousands of original building stones.

Experts then carefully restored these stones, ensuring their preservation and strengthening. Once the building of the 26-meter-tall lighthouse’s four-meter-high podium was completed, these stones were lifted into place with cranes.

The lighthouse’s dome has also been restored, with inscriptions dedicated to Emperor Nero and the Lycian governor Sextus Marcus Priscus, along with a dolphin relief, completing the structure’s historical features.

Şevket Aktaş, head of Patara excavations, highlighted that the lighthouse’s unique architectural design, with its square podium and two interwoven cylinders, makes it a significant example of ancient construction.

Therefore, once the restoration procedure is finished, the scientific community will welcome another significant piece of work, according to Aktaş.

Referring to excessive efforts, Aktaş also noted that the structure is one of the significant examples in the world that has been restored while maintaining its original design, texture and structure from 2,000 years ago.

The restoration is expected to be completed by the end of the first half of the year, with the lighthouse illuminated once again and open for public visits.