Yeşilköy Feneri

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Yeşilköy Feneri is a historic lighthouse on the northern coast of the Sea of Marmara, at the Yeşilyurt neighborhood in Istanbul’s Bakırköy district, Turkey. It is still in use.

Built in 1856 by order of Ottoman Sultan Abdülmecid I, it was originally called Ayostefanos Feneri (Hagios Stefanos Lighthouse) to help ships navigate the shallow waters near Yeşilköy Point as they headed toward Istanbul. The lighthouse lies about 14 km southwest of the southern entrance to the Bosporus.

French engineers built it as a white masonry octagonal prism with two levels. Because the ground is close to sea level, the tower stands on a platform to give a focal height of 23 m. A two‑story keeper’s house sits beside it, and a gallery circles the lantern room with a flag pole on top.

It began service on January 5, 1857. It was first lit with kerosene, later using a Dalén light with acetylene; today it runs on electricity. The lantern uses a 500 mm catadioptric cylindrical lens and a 500 W lamp, flashing white every 10 seconds. It can be seen up to 15 nautical miles (about 28 km). In fog, a horn sounds every 30 seconds.

The lighthouse is listed in Turkey as TUR 055 and its radio call sign is TC1YLH. It is maintained by the Coastal Safety Authority of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. Restorations occurred in 1945, 1971 and 1988. The keeper’s outbuilding has been turned into a seafood restaurant that seats 100 in the main hall, 40 in the conservatory, and up to 150 on a summer terrace.