Aloha Tower

알로하 타워

The Aloha Tower is a retired lighthouse and one of the best-known landmarks of Hawaii. It opened on September 11, 1926, at Pier 9 of Honolulu Harbor, and cost $160,000. It is about 56 m tall and has a clock and the word "ALOHA" on each of its four faces.

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At a glance

Country: United States
Location: Honolulu, USA
Built: 1926
Height: 56 m
Type: Tower

Quick answers

Where is Aloha Tower?

Aloha Tower is in Honolulu, USA, United States.

When was Aloha Tower built?

Aloha Tower was built in 1926.

How tall is Aloha Tower?

Aloha Tower is about 56 m tall.

Honolulu Harbor's lighthouse and clock tower, with a clock and "ALOHA" on each of its four faces.

It was built as a beacon to welcome ships to Honolulu. Just as the Statue of Liberty greeted immigrants arriving in New York, the Aloha Tower greeted people coming by ship to Hawaii. It was the tallest building in Hawaii for about 40 years. The tower serves visitors and the harbor with a view from its top floors.

The tower in wartime

After the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Coast Guardsmen from the cutter Taney were sent to guard the Aloha Tower and keep it from being taken. The tower was painted in camouflage.

The harbor was then an important place for ships crossing the Pacific. The tower is at Pier 9, and it was meant as a guiding beacon welcoming vessels to the City and County of Honolulu.

Around the harbor now

In 1981 the state set up the Aloha Tower Development Corporation to redevelop the land around the tower so the public could use the downtown waterfront. In 1982 the Hawaii Maritime Center opened nearby to tell the story of Honolulu Harbor.

A rail station called Kuloloia (Downtown) is being built nearby for the Skyline metro and is expected to open in 2031.