It was destroyed twice: here's how one of Odessa's symbols, which greets sailors first, used to look.

Time and war can not only alter the appearance of buildings but also erase them from the face of the earth. A striking example of this is the Grand Hotel in Kharkiv, which was destroyed during World War II. However, there are structures that are rebuilt time and again, preventing them from disappearing forever.

One such symbol of resilience and rebirth is the Vorontsov Lighthouse in Odessa. This lighthouse is not just a guide for sailors; it is a living history of the city.

How the Vorontsov Lighthouse in Odessa Looked in the Past

The foundation of the first lighthouse in Odessa dates back to 1815 when the city was temporarily governed by Major General Thomas Koble. However, the unfinished structure at the Big Fountain head remained unattended for a long time. It was only several years later, in 1823, that Mikhail Vorontsov, the governor of the Novorossiysk region, resumed construction. Designed by J.V. Gaiy, the lighthouse was completed in 1827. In 1888, the first Vorontsov Lighthouse was dismantled and relocated to Cape Sarych on the Crimean Peninsula in 1898, as noted by lost-odessa. It still operates there today.

In 1845, the first stationary Vorontsov Lighthouse appeared at the end of the Quarantine Mole. Its construction was initiated by the then-commander of the Black Sea Fleet, Mikhail Lazarev. This octagonal wooden lighthouse served for nine years until it was destroyed by a shell during the bombardment of Odessa in the Crimean War.

Only nine years later was a new lighthouse built, featuring a conical cast-iron tower that tapered upwards. It was modernized in 1888, with the addition of French equipment and a stone base for the comfort of the keepers. However, it too was destroyed. In 1941, during the defense of Odessa, the lighthouse was blown up by Soviet troops to prevent it from becoming a landmark for enemy artillery.

It took several years for the lighthouse to be rebuilt, or rather, for a new lighthouse to be constructed. In 1954, a lighthouse in the form of a pristine white metal tower, 27.2 meters tall with a range of 15 nautical miles, appeared at the end of the Raid Mole.

Earlier, we discussed how fishing was done on the Dnieper a hundred years ago.