Grand Bassam, the capital of French Côte d'Ivoire, ceased to be the capital in 1900, but remained an important port for some time afterwards.
The first lighthouse was a metal tower erected on the wharf with a light on it (1901-). Newly, construction of this lighthouse began in 1913 and was completed in 1914, first lit the following year.
The lighthouse is a short distance from the coast, probably because a hilltop at an altitude of 50 m was chosen as the building site.
A lighthouse was built in Abidjan in 1951 and this lighthouse was taken out of service, so it was actually lit for about 36 years.
In 2012, Grand Bassam, including this lighthouse, was inscribed on the World Heritage List.
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Historic Town of Grand-Bassam"
(2025-03-05)
