Lighthouse

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lighthouse in Lignano (Italy)
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lighthouse in Lignano (Italy)

A lighthouse is a tall house that has a light placed near the top. Lighthouses are built on the coast of an ocean or lake. The lighthouse is meant to protect ships from crashing into shore by sending the light out towards the sea. The light usually turns in a circle so that ships see a flashing light. The light is usally covered by a Fresnel lens. This lens enables the light to travel a far distance.

One of the most famous lghthouses was the Lighthouse of Alexandria. It was located on an island near the coast. Thjat Island was called Pharos. Even today, many languages use a word that comes from the name of the island, to stand for a lighthouse.


Almost all lighthouses are automatic now.

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