Chennai Lighthouse

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Chennai Lighthouse is a landmark on Marina Beach in Chennai, India. It’s the city’s fourth lighthouse and the only one inside the city limits. The current tower was built in 1976–77 by East Coast Constructions and Industries and opened in January 1977. It has an elevator, runs on solar power, and can be seen up to about 28 nautical miles. The lighthouse stands on Beach Road opposite the Tamil Nadu Police and All India Radio offices, near the Lighthouse MRTS station.

Key facts
- Location: Marina Beach, Chennai
- Tower height: 45.72 meters (150 feet); focal height about 57 meters
- Shape and color: Red and white, reinforced concrete
- First lit: 10 January 1977
- Light pattern: Two white flashes every 10 seconds
- Power: 110V, 3000W incandescent lamp; solar-powered
- Range: About 28 nautical miles (52 km)
- Notable features: Elevator for visitors; one of the few lighthouses with this feature; coastal protection and harbor control building attached

A brief history of Chennai lighthouses
- The city has had at least four lighthouses named Chennai or Madras Lighthouse along the Bay of Bengal.
- 1st lighthouse (1796–1844): A light on the terrace of Fort St. George (now the Fort Museum) using oil lamps. It helped ships enter the port but was retired in 1844.
- 2nd lighthouse (1838–1894): A tall granite column near Fort St. George, north of the fort, completed in 1843 and active from 1844. It used argand lamps with reflectors and stood about 125 feet tall. It became inactive in 1894 after the taller High Court dome was built.
- 3rd lighthouse (1894–1977): Mounted on the Madras High Court dome, using kerosene lamps with a light of up to 18,000 candelas. It was a key aid to port development and was bombed during World War I. It stopped functioning in 1977 when the new lighthouse opened.
- 4th lighthouse (present): The current red-and-white concrete tower on Marina Beach, opened in 1977. It has an elevator and uses modern lighting.

Today the Chennai Lighthouse is part of a national network administered by the Directorate General of Lighthouses and Lightships. The area nearby includes the Light House MRTS station, and there are plans to expand museums and other visitor facilities to showcase the history of maritime navigation in India.