The World’s Most Iconic Lighthouses

Published April 29, 2013
Updated February 9, 2018

Kiz Kulesi Lighthouse, Turkey

Iconic Lighthouses Kiz Kulesi

Source: Photobucket

Translated into English as the Maiden’s Tower, the Kiz Kulesi lighthouse is more than 2,500 years old and dates back to the medieval Byzantine period. According to legend, an oracle prophesied that a sultan’s daughter would be killed by a venomous snake on her 18th birthday. To protect her, the Sultan built the lighthouse in the middle of the Bosphorus straight so that she’d be far away from the snakes on land.

Iconic Lighthouses Kiz Daytime

Source: Flickr

On her 18th birthday, the sultan brought her a basket of exotic fruits as a gift. Thinking the prophesy had been broken, the daughter triumphantly reached into the basket and was tragically bitten by an asp hiding among the fruit. The girl eventually died in her father’s arms and the lighthouse, meant to protect her, subsequently became known as the Maiden’s Tower.

Enoshima Lighthouse, Japan

Iconic Lighthouses Enoshima Day

Source: WordPress

Renovated in 2003, while the stunning Enoshima Lighthouse is locked within a steel frame during the PM, its color shifts dramatically throughout the night. Along with its Blade Runner-esque spiral staircase, the glowing orb-lit Samuel Cocking Garden makes it lovely, futuristic destination for visitors across the globe.

Iconic Lighthouses Enoshima Night

Source: Blade Forums

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.