A caisson lighthouse (also referred to as a sparkplug lighthouse, or bug light) is a type of
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Lighthouses mar ...
whose superstructure rests on a
concrete or metal
caisson.
Caisson lighthouses were developed in the late nineteenth century as a cheaper alternative to
screwpile lighthouses. The caisson design was also more efficient as it could better withstand harsh weather, and was not as fragile. Caisson lighthouses usually have living quarters made of
cast iron, although some brick examples are known. The two American nicknames were later coined because of the structure's shape.
Gallery
See also
References
Lighthouses
Marine architecture
Caissons
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