[Tagging] Difference between lighthouses and beacons

[Malcolm Herring]

On 15/01/2018 14:29, Martin Koppenhoefer wrote:
> can you please explain how to distinguish a beacon from a light house?

Historical beacons (for which the tag man_made=beacon is appropriate) 
are structures that were for generic signalling purposes, not 
necessarily maritime navigation. They can found inland as well as on 
coasts. They usually take the form of either a masonry tower with an 
open top or else a simple pole with a fire cage on the top.

Maritime navigation beacons, on the other hand, can take many forms - 
everything from a tree branch driven vertically into the seabed, through 
poles, piles to masonry or metal lattice towers. They can be on the 
coast or offshore. They may or may not have lights. They are usually 
painted in internationally recognised colour schemes & may be topped 
with cones, cylinders or spheres. The colours & top shapes indicate the 
navigation information or warning.

A lighthouse (man_made=lighthouse) is a tower with living quarters 
either within the tower, or a separate structure at or adjacent to the 
base. They are topped with a lamp room. The lamp may or may not be 
functional - many lighthouses have been decommissioned from their 
navigation role. The distinguishing feature to differentiate lighthouses 
from masonry beacons is the ability to be lived in (do they have a door 
and at least one window?) and an enclosed lamp room at the top.