All about Green Point’s famous lighthouse

Posted by Taylah Strauss on 17 June 2022

Did you know that the Green Point lighthouse is the oldest operational lighthouse in South Africa? It is also considered the first solid lighthouse built on South African shores. If we’ve piqued your interest, keep reading.

Situated on the edge of Mouille Point, the lighthouse was first lit in 1824, but the lighthouse had been in the pipeline since 1820.

Originally, the lantern and dome were painted in thick yellow and black stripes before being repainted in 1956. Today, the lighthouse – often mistakenly called the Mouille Point lighthouse – sports ruby red and milky white stripes, giving it a distinct candy-like appearance.

This is not the only renovation the lighthouse underwent. When it was first lit, its light was only visible for 11km.  Since then, it’s been replaced with one revolving beam.

Much to the dismay of the locals, a foghorn was also installed that sounded every 30 seconds with a three-second blast, giving it the nickname ‘Moaning Minnie.’

Thankfully, this was replaced with an electric horn in 1986 that still sounds to this day, except with significantly less noise. Although the lighthouse has undergone many renovations, it is still very much in its original structure.

The lighthouse is open to the public to visit, but you must contact the railway company Transnet to book your visit.

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