Aniva Lighthouse
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| Location | Cape Aniva, Sakhalin Oblast, Russia |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46°01′08″N 143°24′51″E / 46.018885°N 143.414077°E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1937-1939[1] |
| Construction | Concrete |
| Automated | 1990[1] |
| Height | 31.2 m (102 ft)  |
| Heritage | candidate heritage site in Russia |
| Light | |
| First lit | 1939[1] |
| Deactivated | 2006[1] |
| Focal height | 40m[1] |
| Lens | fresnel |
| Range | 15.2nm[1] |
| Characteristic | Fl(2) W |
The Aniva Lighthouse (Russian: маяк Анива) also known as Nakashiretoko is located on the South East of Sakhalin island, in the North Pacific Ocean. It is located on a difficult to access rock off the tip of Cape Aniva at the entrance of Aniva Bay, on the eastern entrance to the La Pérouse Strait.
History
[edit]Construction of a lighthouse at Cape Aniva was first discussed in 1898 following the sinking of a steamship, however these plans were not carried out due to the difficulty in accessing the location.[2]
The lighthouse, was built between 1937 and 1939 when the southern part of the island was controlled by Japan and was a strategic maritime location and was used to guide ships through the perilous waters of the channel.[1] The construction was led by Japanese engineer Shinobu Miura.[2] The lighthouse passed to Soviet control following World War II and remained in operation throughout the Cold War.[3]
In 1990 the lighthouse was automated by installing a Strontium-90 nuclear battery. It was one of 132 Soviet lighthouses automated this way with batteries allowing it to operate for extended periods without human intervention.[3]
In 2006 the battery ceased providing power and due to the improvement of GPS systems it was decided not to install a new one,[2] the site was abandoned the lighthouse has become derelict.[3]
Description
[edit]The lighthouse consists of a circular tower made of concrete,[1][4] topped by a light room that used to contain a lightsource, the tower is painted in horizontal white and black bands. Attached to the tower is a nine floor building that was designed to house up to 12 lighthouse operators before its operation was automated.[2][4]
Popular culture
[edit]Despite its remote location (a 1.5 hour ride from the closest settlement, followed by a two-hour boat trip) the lighthouse today is a tourist destination with visitors attracted to its striking appearance.[2][3][4]
A lighthouse prominently featured in the videogame Escape from Tarkov is based on Aniva lighthouse.
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Macías, José Luis González (2024). A Brief Atlas of Lighthouses at the End of the World. Chronicle Books LLC (published 2024-04-02). pp. 25–27. ISBN 9781797230481.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Rzhevsky, Sergei. "Abandoned Aniva Lighthouse on Sakhalin Island · Russia Travel Blog". Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- 1 2 3 4 Miller, Evelyn. "Frozen in Time: The Haunting Tale of the U.S.S.R.'s Abandoned Nuclear-Powered Lighthouse". Lighthouse Digest. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
- 1 2 3 Shevchenko, Nikolay (2022-04-22). "The story behind the BREATHTAKING abandoned Aniva lighthouse (PHOTOS)". www.gw2ru.com. Archived from the original on 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2025-10-04.