The history of streetlights is a pioneering pursuit of outdoor light and a history of humanity's exploration of a better life.
15th Century London - The Origin of Streetlights
In 1417, to brighten London's dark winter nights, the Mayor of London, Henry Barton, issued an order requiring outdoor lighting. His initiative was later supported by the French.
16th Century Paris - Street Lighting Ordinance
In the early 16th century, Parisian residents were required to install outdoor lighting in all street-facing windows. During the reign of Louis XIV, many streetlights appeared on Parisian streets. In 1667, Louis XIV, known as the "Sun King," officially issued a decree for urban street lighting. Legend has it that it was this decree that earned his reign the title of "Age of Light" in French history.
1807 Gas Lamp in Britain
Originally, streetlights were relatively dim, powered by ordinary candles and oil. The switch to kerosene significantly improved their brightness, but the real revolution in streetlights came with the advent of gas lamps. Initially, its inventor, the Englishman William Murdoch, was ridiculed. Walter Scott once wrote to a friend about a madman who wanted to illuminate London at night with a street lamp that emitted "black smoke." Although Murdoch's street lamp sparked controversy, its advantages were undeniable. In 1807, this new type of streetlight was installed on Pall Mall Street and quickly became popular in European capitals.
1843 Shanghai Kerosene Lamp
In 1843, the first streetlight appeared on the streets of Shanghai, China. Although it was powered by kerosene, it was considered even more sacred than moonlight. Crowds of people would gather along the Huangpu River to catch a glimpse of it. Later, the streetlights in Shanghai's concessions were replaced with gas lamps, imported from London. These lamps were several times brighter than kerosene lamps, and to nighttime pedestrians, they were like the "sun."
It wasn't until 1879 that China's first electric light finally came on at Shanghai's Shiliupu Wharf. It was powered by a 10-horsepower internal combustion engine, equivalent to the power of a walking tractor. Initial streetlights used knife switches mounted on each pole, requiring manual on/off switching. Three years later, multiple lights were switched to a single switch, a design that continued to be used in cities across China until the 20th century.
The Pioneering History of Outdoor Lighting: The History of Streetlight Development
1873 Electric Lighting
The history of electric lighting is closely linked to the names of two inventors: Alexander Lodkin of Russia and Thomas Edison of the United States. In 1873, Alexander Lodkin received the Lomonosov Prize from the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences for his design of the incandescent light bulb. Soon after, this bulb was used to illuminate the Admiralty Building in St. Petersburg. A few years later, Thomas Edison improved the bulb, making it even brighter and more cost-effective to produce. With the widespread use of these bulbs, gas lamps quickly faded from street lighting, replaced by electric lights, becoming a crucial tool for outdoor illumination in cities at night.
1906 Beijing's Official Streetlights
The Beijing Chinese Electric Light Company first installed official streetlights in Dongcheng District. The officials who managed the streetlights were called inspectors. These lights were considered Beijing's earliest electric streetlights, marking their 100th anniversary this year.
1911 Over 600 electric lights were installed on the streets of Beijing's seven districts.
1929 Beijing's kerosene lamps were gradually replaced with electric lights.
1943 The last 87 kerosene lamps in Beijing were replaced by electric lights, marking the end of kerosene lamps.
1950 Beijing decided to have the Beijing Power Supply Company collect streetlight fees, increasing the current 4% surcharge on the electricity price to a 5% surcharge.
1959 Premier Zhou Enlai personally approved the Tiananmen Square streetlights
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Beijing began construction on ten major buildings and Tiananmen Square. The lights along Chang'an Avenue were also designed and produced during this period. Many design options were proposed for the streetlights, but the lotus and cotton boll lanterns currently in use were personally approved by Premier Zhou Enlai.
A Pioneering History of Outdoor Lighting: The History of Streetlight Development
1960 23 fluorescent streetlights were installed in the Qianmen area. This was Beijing's first trial of a new light source, significantly improving street lighting.
1981 Beijing High-Pole Streetlights
Beijing already had 36 overpasses. To beautify the city and avoid the clutter of utility poles, high-pole streetlights began to be used on these overpasses. The first high-pole streetlight in Beijing was installed at the Chegongzhuang roundabout. The pole was 23.5 meters tall, with a 5-meter diameter top panel. It was divided into two tiers, with 16 lamps on the outer ring and 8 on the inner ring. Normally, only 8 of these lamps were on.
After the 1990s, Lighting Technology Upgraded
With the emergence of new light source technologies, streetlights gradually evolved to high-intensity gas discharge lamps and LEDs.
The Post-Streetlight Era - Smart Streetlights
In 1993, the concept of smart cities quietly emerged worldwide. Many developed countries actively promoted smart city construction, organically connecting information on public service resources such as water, electricity, oil, gas, and transportation through the internet. These services respond intelligently to better serve citizens' needs for learning, living, work, and healthcare, while also improving government management of traffic and environmental control.
In 2006, the European Union launched the European Living Lab, which uses new tools and methods, along with advanced information and communication technologies, to mobilize "collective wisdom and creativity" from all walks of life, providing opportunities to solve social problems. The organization also launched the European Smart Cities Network.
In 2008, at the Council on Foreign Relations meeting in New York, IBM proposed the concept of "Smarter Planet," which sparked a wave of smart city construction.
In 2010, IBM officially launched its "Smart City" vision, hoping to contribute to urban development worldwide and in China.
In 2013, over 400 cities worldwide competed for the title of Smartest City. Seven cities were ultimately selected: Columbus, Ohio, USA; Oulu, Finland; Stratford, Canada; Taichung, Taiwan; Tallinn, Estonia; Taoyuan County, Taiwan; and Toronto, Canada.
On April 7, 2015, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Science and Technology announced the third batch of national smart city pilot projects, designating 84 cities (districts, counties, and towns), including Mentougou District in Beijing, as new pilot projects for 2014. As of 2013, the total number of smart city pilot projects approved by the state has reached 290.
On May 11, 2016, the 2016 TMF Live Global Summit was held in Nice, France. At the summit, it was officially announced that the 2016 TMF Global Smart City Summit will be held in Yinchuan from September 7th to 9th. At the summit, over 500 government and business representatives from around the world will once again gather for "Smart Yinchuan" to discuss the next steps in smart city development. In recognition of Yinchuan's leading position and outstanding contributions to global smart city development, TMF intends to designate Yinchuan as the permanent venue for the Global Smart City Summit.
Smart city development has become an irreversible historical trend in urban development worldwide. Smart cities require smart streetlights, which provide more than just illumination; they also fulfill the broader needs of a smarter and better life. Smart streetlights have become the most natural entry point for smart city development, illuminating the path forward and providing a clear path for those exploring smart city development.
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