The Aloha Tower was a lighthouse and welcoming beacon for visitors arriving by ship.
The Aloha Tower was built in 1926 and is located on Pier Nine of the Honolulu Harbor in Downtown Honolulu. The tower is 184 feet tall with a flag mast on top adding an extra 40 feet. This height made it the tallest structure in Hawaii at the time of its construction and for the next four decades.
The Aloha Tower was built to be a welcoming landmark but fate caused it to have a colorful history with multiple functions. Through the years the tower has served as a lighthouse, a lookout station for harbor pilots, a control center for American military convoys in the Pacific during World War II and today it is one of the top tourist sites in Oahu.
View of the Honolulu Harbor
The Aloha Tower was built on the edge of the harbor and has restaurants and shops in the nearby area. Photos of this area show the tower and the Aloha Tower Market.
Views of the tower
The tower is an Art Deco style building with a square base and the tower has vertical like projecting upward. Just under the observation deck on all four sides is a functioning clock with the word “Aloha” on the terrace wall.
The Aloha Tower was built almost 100 years ago but it still looks appropriate with the mountain scenery and the modern building of the Central Business District.
Inside the tower
Inside of the tower the original architecture still exists with a terrazzo floor, a small vintage elevator and the original elevator floor indicator equipment.
The observation deck
At the top level on the 10th floor is an observation deck and stairs to the lookout platform that was used by the harbor pilots. Access to the lookout platform is not available but the four balconies provide nice views in all directions.
View from the observation deck
The views from the observation deck are wonderful! The observation deck allows visitors to have a 360 degree view of the area around the tower where they can see the Honolulu skyline and the Honolulu Harbor coastline.
The Aloha Tower at night
True to my passion, I always try to photography interesting architecture both during the day and at night. The Art Deco style of the tower is attractive during the daytime but I think it is even nicer looking at night.
Fitting final photo
Sometimes I take a photo that truly captures the object of my topic. The final photo is one of those photos that is a fitting final photo for this post. Hawaii has two nicknames which are “The Aloha State” and “The Rainbow State”. When I saw a beautiful rainbow beaming down on top of the Aloha Tower, I felt it is the perfect photo that captures the state of Hawaii.
The Dust on My Shoes
The Aloha Tower was a welcoming symbol for visitor arriving to Hawaii by ship which is similar to the Statue of Liberty which was to visitors arriving to New York at Ellis Island. Both the Statue of Liberty and the Aloha Tower are still historic landmarks that are seen as top tourist attractions for travelers to each state.
Just like most things in Hawaii, visiting the Aloha Tower is a relaxing experience. Going to the observation deck is free and the views are really pleasant. After seeing the tower, The Aloha Tower Market around the tower has stores for shopping and restaurants to top off the experience.
I truly love seeing places that combine history and culture. The Aloha Tower is one of those place that has a historical importance to the islands and it reflects the islands welcoming culture.
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