Old Light House

Old Light House the Red Hills, about to the west of the town, were the only land approaching Pondicherry with orientation point. The French deliberate to construct a tower displaying a light for the steering of mariners at night. In November 1835, the vicinity across the ‘mat de pavillon’ became selected and, in March 1836, the lighthouse erected by the engineer L. Guerre. It turned into a fluted tower constructed above a rectangular base, 29 m excessive, with three openings: a shop, an area for the watchman and an internal staircase leading to the top where the mild changed into positioned.

The light become visible to a distance of 29 kms. It is to be cited that this shape became one-of-a-kind from the existing one. The base became a easy rectangular building and not a circular two-storied production as visible today: the round constructing dates from the stop of the 19th century, the amendment took place probable while the light became stepped forward in July 1886; as for the second storey of the lower shape, perhaps, it changed into added a few 50 years lower back.

On September 12, 1931, a revolving mild of 1,000 watts replaced the fixed light. As the lighthouse went out of order often, in 1970, a brand new lighthouse turned into built in Kirapalaiyam village, to the south of the town. Now, this abandoned lighthouse has been converted partly right into a museum. Located across the road status face to face from the enforcing Gandhi statue, the Nehru statue is also flanked by way of four pillars from Gingee. The space in the front performs host to numerous cultural, musical and commercial activities at some point of the year.