The President of the American Society of Engineers (ASCE), Mark Woodson, declared the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse as an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark. This is the second landmark structure for South Africa, the first being the Woodhead Dam on Table Mountain.
In the over 40 years that ASCE has run the International Landmarks programme ±50 projects have been identified as International Civil Engineering Landmarks and 250 as National Landmarks in the USA. To qualify, a project must be over 50 years old, should have made a significant impact on civil engineering in its region, should still be in operation, and adhere to very stringent selection criteria. The SAICE History and Heritage Panel submitted the Cape Agulhas Lighthouse as a worthy project to ASCE.
The Cape Agulhas Lighthouse is situated at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa. It was the third lighthouse to be built in South Africa, and the second-oldest still operating, after Green Point.
The structure was designed by the civil engineer to the Colony, Lt. Col. Charles Michell and built by William Martin. The design in the Egyptian Renaissance style is thought to be unique among world lighthouses. It first displayed its light on 1 March 1849 and is still in service today. Today the lighthouse also serves as a tourist attraction, which stimulates the economy of the quaint village of L’Agulhas and stands tall as an edifice bearing testimony of the social and economic contributions of civil engineering.
More information from Marie Ashpole, Tel: 011 805 5947/ email: marie@saice.org.za / www.saice.org.za
