Eluanbi Lighthouse facts for kids
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| Eluanbi Lighthouse | |
 Eluanbi Lighthouse
鵝鑾鼻燈塔 Eluan Pi Location in Taiwan
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| Location | Eluanbi Hengchun Pingtung County Taiwan |
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| Coordinates | 21°54′08″N 120°51′09″E / 21.902282°N 120.852622°E |
| Year first constructed | 1882 |
| Foundation | concrete and granite |
| Construction | cast iron tower |
| Tower shape | cylindrical tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings / pattern | white tower, black lantern dome |
| Height | 21.4 m (70 ft) (five floors) |
| Focal height | 56.4 m (185 ft) |
| Original lens | Fourth order fresnel |
| Intensity | 1,800,000 candela |
| Range | 27.2 nautical miles (50.4 km; 31.3 mi) |
| Characteristic | Fl W 10s. |
| Admiralty number | P4602 |
| NGA number | 13768 |
| ARLHS number | TAI-018 |
Eluanbi Lighthouse (Chinese: 鵝鑾鼻燈塔; pinyin: Éluánbí Dēngtǎ) is a famous lighthouse in Kenting National Park, Taiwan. It stands on Cape Eluanbi, which is the southernmost point of Taiwan. This cape is located in Pingtung County. The lighthouse is looked after by the Customs Administration, which is part of Taiwan's Ministry of Finance.
The lighthouse is built where the Pacific Ocean and the Taiwan Strait meet, and it faces the Luzon Strait. It's open to visitors all year round. People sometimes call it "The Light of East Asia" because its light is very powerful.
History of the Lighthouse
Building the Lighthouse
The Eluanbi Lighthouse was built in 1883 by the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China and Taiwan at that time. They decided to build it because many ships were crashing into the hidden reefs in the waters nearby. They wanted to prevent accidents, like the famous Rover Incident where a ship was wrecked.
An English architect named W. F. Spindey, who was part of the Royal Geographical Society, was hired to design this lighthouse. The Eluanbi Lighthouse is special because it's the only lighthouse in Taiwan that was built with defenses. It has a trench around it and many gun holes in its walls. This was needed because local Indigenous people often raided the lighthouse.
Damage and Rebuilding
After the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, Taiwan became part of the Empire of Japan. The Japanese fixed the damage that happened to the lighthouse during the First Sino-Japanese War.
However, the lighthouse was damaged again during World War II, specifically during the Aerial Battle of Taiwan-Okinawa.
The lighthouse was rebuilt in 1962. Today, it still works and is an important historical monument within Kenting National Park. Next to the lighthouse, there is also a memorial that celebrates the "Taiwan Eight Magnificent Sceneries."
See also
In Spanish: Faro de Eluanbi para niños
