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Lighthouse of Kavos Papas

In Karkinagri

The Lighthouse of Kavos Papas (='Faros Papas') is located on the southwestern tip of the island of Ikaria and it is a property of the Greek government-Lighthouse Service of the Greek Navy. It was declared by UNESCO as a Cultural Heritage in accordance with the provisions of Article 6 § 1b of Law 3028/2002. The protection of the cultural heritage is designed to preserve the historical memory and upgrading of the cultural environment of the residents of the island of Ikaria.

It is also characterized as a Monument under the provisions of Article 6 § 2 of Law 3028/2002, the original mechanism of the lighthouse as an important technical and scientific evidence for the lighting systems of lighthouses in the late 19th century. According to the law, any action on the above building is prohibited (repairs, maintenance, addition) or any construction activity in the vicinity of this, without prior approval of the request by the Ministry.

The Lighthouse was built between 1886 and 1890 by the French Company of Lighthouses during the Ottoman Empire. It defines one of the most difficult passages in the central Aegean, between Mykonos and Ikaria. It lit for the first time on 20 May 1890 and joined the Greek lighthouses network on April 9, 1915 shortly after the Balkan wars. For many years, the lighthouse was operated with a primary energy source oil. In 1933, it begun to operate with LED "bulbs by petroleum vapors". The provision complements a clockwork system of rotation, clock type, takes a piece from a bob so as to yield the characteristic flare. During the Second World War, the lighthouse was converted into an outpost of the Italians and stayed off and suffered heavy losses. It reopened in 1945 with a temporary placement of an automatic acetylene torch, while work began on repairing the damage completed at intervals in 1949, 1958 and 1979, with the installation of new lighting equipment. In 1980 the Lighthouse Papas converted into electricity, keeping the system oil as a backup, until October 2000, when it was fully automated. The focal height is about 75 meters and it is visible from 25 miles to feature a white flare at 20''. The height of the cylindrical tower is 11 meters and in order to reach it on top, someone has to climb 32 stone and 21 metal stairs.

Access

Access to the Lighthouse is only on foot. Take the main asphalt road Karkinagri-Evdilos, and follow a dirt road for a few meters and then continue  on foot.

Coordinates: 
37° 30' 41.281" N, 25° 58' 44.388" E
Monuments
Karkinagri