Gazing up at the Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse, can you imagine ships in the 1930s navigating safely past sandbars? This lighthouse, also known as Reading Light, stands near the Yarkon River estuary. It is next to the Tel Aviv Port.
The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse has a fascinating history. The British authorities built it in 1934-1935. They wanted to help ships avoid the local sandbars. A French company constructed the lighthouse with help from Arab locals. During construction, workers discovered Tell Qudadi. This tell revealed remains of Assyrian fortresses from the 8th century BCE.
In 1936, the Arab revolt broke out. A general strike crippled the Jaffa port. Jewish leaders decided to open Tel Aviv port. It would compete with Jaffa. The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse became a navigation aid for the new port.
The Reading Power Station was built nearby between 1937 and 1938. The power station’s tall chimney made the lighthouse less important. It also obscured the light. The lighthouse continued to serve the adjacent electricity plant harbor.
The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse used a Morse code signal. The signal was the letter “A”. It had two flashes. One was long and one was short every seven seconds.
In 1965, the port closed. The Ashdod Port opened in the south. The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse was shut down.
The Yarkon River itself has a rich history. It once marked the northern boundary of the Philistines. The river’s Arabic name is al-Auja. It means “the meandering one”.
The lighthouse played a role in Israeli films. It even appeared on an Israeli stamp in 2009.
Today, the tower is closed. All the windows are barred. In 2007, a wooden boardwalk was built around the lighthouse. It made the lighthouse accessible to the public. The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse was once painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern. Traces of the paint remain. The Yarkon River Mouth Lighthouse now stands as a heritage site. It reminds us of Tel Aviv’s maritime past.