Lighthouses of Germany: Flensburg to Lübeck

Schleswig - Flensburg District Lighthouses

Flensburger Förde (Flensburg Fjord) Lighthouses
Note: The Flensburger Förde (Flensborg Fjord in Danish) forms part of the boundary between Germany and Denmark. Lighthouses on the Danish side are listed on the Denmark: Southeast Jylland page.

* [Fraensodde (Fahrensodde) West Mole]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 4 m (13 ft); continuous green light. 4 m (13 ft) round fiberglass tower with lantern, colored with green and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a photo by Klaus Potschien, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the west breakwater of a marina at Fahrensodde northeast of Flensburg. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C1175.5; NGA 2966.1.

* [Fraensodde (Fahrensodde) East Mole]

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 4 m (13 ft); continuous red light. 4 m (13 ft) round fiberglass tower with lantern, colored with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a photo by Klaus Potschien, but for some reason this light is not seen in Google's satellite view. Located on the east breakwater of a marina at Fahrensodde northeast of Flensburg. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C1175; NGA 2966.

* Holnis (2) 1967 (station established 1896). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical steel and concrete tower with a large round lantern and gallery. Tower covered with hard fiberboard panels forming red and white horizontal bands; lantern and upper galleries painted red. Werning has a good page for the lighthouse (his photo is at right), Trabas has a closeup photo by Klaus Potschien, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This modern lighthouse stands on the west side of the Schausende, a low peninsula projecting northward into the Flensburger Förde (Flensborg Fjord). The lighthouse displays three directional lights: one for westbound ships approaching from the Baltic, one for westbound ships that have rounded the end of the peninsula, and one for eastbound ships departing Flensburg. The original light had a focal plane height of 20 m (65 ft). According to the WSA Lübeck page for the light, the old lighthouse stood until it was demolished in 1980. Located southwest of Holnis and about 30 km (19 mi) northeast of Flensburg. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-111; Admiralty C1134; NGA 2928. * Neukirchen (2) 1969 (station established 1927). Inactive since 1996. 2-story brick building with a semicircular control room projecting from the upper story. Werning has a photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Apparently this was a ship traffic control tower for the approaches to Flensburg; it also carried a directional light in a lantern that has been removed. Sold into private ownership, the building is now a residence. The original Neukirchen lighthouse was relocated to Mönkeberg, near Kiel (see below). Located on on the south shore of the Flensburger Förde (Flensborg Fjord) just west of the village of Neukirchen. Site and tower closed. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS FED-163.

Holnis Light, Holnis photo copyright Malte Werning; used by permission

* Strukkamphuk Unterfeuer (2) (lantern, relocated to Wackerballig)

1896. Inactive since 1935. The original lighthouse, on the island of Fehmarn, was replaced by a new concrete tower (see below). The lantern's subsequent history is unknown, but presently it stands at the elbow of the long breakwater mole of the yacht harbor of Wackerballig, at the southwestern base of the Gelting Peninsula. Marinas.com has aerial photos of the marina, but the tiny lantern is hard to see (click on the first photo to zoom). The lantern can be seen in Google's indistinct satellite view of the marina. Used as a shelter, the lantern does not appear to be in very good condition. Site and lantern open. Owner/site manager: Jachthafen Wackerballig.

Angeln Lighthouses
Note: Angeln (Anglia) is a semicircular peninsula between the deep indentations of the Eckernförde and the Flensburger Förde.

Kalkgrund 1963 (lightship station established 1876). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off. 24 m (79 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern and three galleries, one near the bottom and two at the top of the tower. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands and floodlit at night. Fog horn (Morse code "FS": two short blasts, a long blast, a short blast, a pause, and three short blasts, every 30 s). J.-N. Andreae's photo is at right, and Trabas has a photo by Manfred Schüler. This lighthouse replaced the lightship Flensburg. Originally an artificial island was planned; instead, the lighthouse stands on 30 steel pilings 30 m (100 ft) long. Located in the middle of the entrance to the Flensburger Förde (Flensborg Fjord) about 8 km (5 mi) north of Birk-Nack, the northern tip of the Gelting Peninsula. Accessible only by boat; distantly visible from Birk-Nack. Site and tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-123; Admiralty C1113; NGA 2900. ** Falshöft 1910. Inactive since 2002. 24 m (79 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Leuchtturm-Atlas has a good page for the lighthouse, Werning's page for the lighthouse has a fine photo, WSA Lübeck also has a page with a great photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light guided coastwise traffic bound to and from Flensburg. WSA Lübeck decided to deactivate the light in 2002, despite public protests, after the radio link with its central office failed and it was judged too expensive to restore it. In 2003 the tower was sold to the nearby town of Pommerby, which has opened a registrar's office in the tower for the convenience of citizens who want to get married at the lighthouse (something very popular in Germany). The tower continues to serve as a daybeacon. Located about 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Birk-Nack and 2 km (1.2 mi) east of Pommerby. Site open, tower open by appointment. Owner/site manager: Municipality of Pommerby. ARLHS FED-005; ex-Admiralty C1108. * Schleimünde Mole (2) 1871 (station established 1841). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); three long (2 s) flashes every 20 s, white or red depending on direction. Fog horn (Morse code "SN": three short blasts, a pause, 1 long blast, and one short blast, every 30 s). 14 m (46 ft) round tile-covered brick tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is covered with vinyl tiles forming horizontal bands, two white and one black; lantern and gallery painted black. Trabas has a closeup photo by Klaus Kern, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Bing has a satellite view. Danish authorities built moles to stabilize the entrance to the Schlei estuary in 1842 and German authorities added this lighthouse in 1871, shortly after Schleswig reverted to German control. Located at the end of the north mole at the entrance to the Schlei. Accessible only by boat; transportation to the mole and adjoining barrier island is available from Maasholm or Kappeln, but only brief visits to the lighthouse are possible. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-217; Admiralty C1186; NGA 3000.

Kalkgrund Light, Flensburger Förde, July 2002 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Johann-Nikolaus Andreae

Rendsburg - Eckernförde District Lighthouses

Eckernförde Lighthouses

* Eckernförde Hafen (1) 1907. Inactive since 1981. 12 m (40 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted with horizontal navy blue and yellow bands. The Anke/Jens site has a good photo, Matthias Kohrt and Helena Clemens-Kohrt have a closeup, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the light when it was active, and Google has a satellite view. After deactivation, this tower was sold or donated to the city of Eckernförde. Repainted in the city's colors, it is located in a city market area on the waterfront a little southwest of the original site. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Stadt Eckernförde. ARLHS FED-074. * Eckernförde Hafen (2) 1981 (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off. 10 m (33 ft) round cylindrical fiberglass tower with lantern and gallery, painted red with one white horizontal band. A photo by Harald Hinnerichs is at right, a 2008 closeup photo is available, Werning's page has a great photo, Trabas has a closeup, and Google has a satellite view. Located just inside the breakwater of the small boat harbor of Eckernförde. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-076; Admiralty C1210; NGA 3072. * Eckernförde (1) 1907. Inactive since 1986. 17 m (56 ft) square 4-story keeper's house with a pyramidal roof and a gallery around three sides of the top floor. Evidently the light was shown through windows of the top floor. The Anke/Jens site has a good photo, and Werning's page has a good closeup. Like the present light, the purpose of this lighthouse was to shine a directional light up the 25 km (15 mi) length of the Eckernförder Bucht. Located about 600 m (1/3 mi) southeast of the modern light. Site and tower closed (private property). Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS FED-075. * Eckernförde (2) 1986 (station established 1907). Active; focal plane 36 m (118 ft); directional light displayed to the east northeast: white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off; two white flashes every 9 s displayed to the east; continuous red or white light displayed to the northeast. 27 m (89 ft) square cylindrical concrete and steel tower carrying a square lantern structure with two large square galleries. The tower is unpainted gray concrete; lantern and platforms colored red. Werning's page has a good photo, Bernd Claußen has a 2007 photo, Trabas also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse strongly resembles an air traffic control tower. Its directional light guides ships down the length of the Eckernförde estuary from the Kieler Bucht (Kiel Bay). Located off the Berlinerstraße in Eckernförde, about 4 km (2.5 mi) south of the harbor entrance light. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-073; Admiralty C1206; NGA 3068.

1981 Eckernförde Hafen Light, Eckernförde, August 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Harald Hinnerichs

Strande Area Lighthouses

Kiel 1967. Active; focal plane 29 m (96 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 3 s off. 33.5 m (110 ft) round cylindrical aluminum-clad tower rising from a circular 2-story building and supporting a large circular control room and lantern structure. Lighthouse colored red above and below; the cylindrical center section is white. The lighthouse is built on a Y-shaped concrete pier. Fog horn (Morse code "KI": short blast, long blast, short blast, pause, two more shore blasts, every 30 s). Trabas has a photo by Klaus Kern, Werning has a good page with a distant photo, Leuchtturm-Atlas also has a good photo, and the light is a faint blur in Google's satellite view. This lighthouse replaced the lightship Kiel. It guides ships into Kiel and the Nord-Ostsee Kanal; some 90,000 ships a year are said to pass the tower. Located off the entrance to Kieler Förde, about 8 km (5 mi) northeast of the Bülk lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-011; Admiralty C1215; NGA 3080. **** Bülk (3) 1865 (station established 1807). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); flash every 3 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 25 m (82 ft) round brick tower with lantern and double gallery adjacent to 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Since 1970 the tower has been covered with hard fiberboard panels colored so that the tower is white with a broad black horizontal band; lantern and gallery are white. A photo by Harald Hinnerichs is at right, WSA Lübeck has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a great photo, Brigitte Koehrsen also has a good photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse is the third built by Danish authorities at this station, but it was completed and placed in service after Schleswig-Holstein was ceded to Germany. Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the original (smaller) lantern and the older daymark with a red horizontal band. The lighthouse was restored in 1970 (when the fiberboard panels were added), changing its appearance significantly; since then it has been open to the public under the care of a lessee. The original lantern came into private hands; Ronald Wöhrn found it in use as a storage shed at a marina in Wentorf. Located at the western entrance to the Kieler Förde, about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Strande. Site open, tower open daily May through October. Operator: WSA Lübeck. Site manager: Leuchttürm Bülk. ARLHS FED-003; Admiralty C1216; NGA 3084.

Bülk Light, Strande, June 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Harald Hinnerichs

Kiel City Lighthouses

Kieler Förde (Kiel Fjord) Lighthouses

* Friedrichsort (3)

1866 (station established 1807). Inactive since 1971. Cast iron lantern, gallery, and watch room from the former Friedrichsort lighthouse, now mounted on a steel mast. Structure painted gray; lantern roof is black. Werning has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is the lantern and watch room installed in 1889 on the 1866 lighthouse, an 11 m (36 ft) brick tower. Friedrichsort is on a promentory projecting into the west side of the Kieler Förde about 20 km (13 mi) north of Kiel, narrowing the estuary to a width of only 1 km (0.6 mi). Winter storms force waves and ice into the estuary, causing severe shoreline erosion on the point. The first two lighthouse were destroyed in this way, and the 1866 lighthouse was demolished in 1971 when it was about to collapse into the water. The lantern and watch room were saved and displayed in 1975 at the inner harbor of Kiel; in 2003 they were moved to their present location on Friedrichsorter Straße at the Heinrich-Rixen-Platz about 1 km (0.6 mi) north of the Friedrichsort waterfront. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS FED-126.

Friedrichsort (4) 1971 (station established 1807). Active; focal plane 32 m (105 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off; also a continuous white light displayed at a focal plane of 6 m (18 ft). The tower is also floodlit at night. 32 m (105 ft) round cylindrical reinforced concrete tower with a large drum-shaped lantern structure and gallery at the top and a circular equipment room near the bottom. Lighthouse painted white with four narrow green horizontal bands, two on the lantern and two on the equipment room. Thore Siebrands has a good photo, Trabas has a photo, Leuchtturm-Atlas also has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a good satellite view. WSA Lübeck escaped continuing beach erosion at Freidrichsort by moving the lighthouse offshore. Its main purpose is to shine directional lights both up and down the Kieler Förde, defining the safe channel for both inbound and outbound shipping. Huelse has a postcard view of the 1866 lighthouse (see the previous entry). Located on an artificial island north of the tip of the Friedrichsort peninsula. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-125; Admiralty C1230; NGA 3112. ** Holtenau Nord 1895. Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, occulting three times, separated by 2 s, every 12 s. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from the front of a 2-story brick Imperial-style building. Lighthouse unpainted, lantern is black. A photo by Harald Hinnerichs is at right, Werning has a good page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a closeup photo by Ulrich Bode, another excellent photo is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. This lighthouse stands at the northeastern entrance of the Nord-Ostsee Kanal. Since 1895, this 98.7 km (61.3 mi) canal has provided a shortcut between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea via Kiel. The building includes a memorial hall, the Drei-Kaiser-Gedächtnishalle, in remembrance of Kaisers Wilhelm I, who inaugurated construction of the canal in 1887; Friedrich III, who turned the first shovel of dirt here in 1888, and Wilhelm II, who laid the cornerstone of the lighthouse in 1895. It also houses a registrar's office where weddings are performed. Located at the end of the Thiessenkai, the quay on the north side of the canal in Holtenau, about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Kiel. Site open, building open daily; it is not known if the tower can be climbed. Operator: WSD Nord. ARLHS FED-112; Admiralty C1246; NGA 3116. * Holtenau Süd 1895 (relocated 1914). Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, occulting two times, separated by 2 s, every 9 s. 20 m (66 ft) slender octagonal skeletal tower with round lantern and gallery, topped by a radar antenna, mounted on a hexagonal concrete base. Tower painted with red and white horizontal bands. Werning has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has an good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the south side of the entrance to the Nord-Ostsee Kanal; it had to be relocated in 1914 when new, larger locks were built. The original lantern, replaced in 1998, is now on display at the Schifffahrts- und Meeresmuseum Peter Tamm in Hamburg. Located at the end of the south mole at the canal entrance in Holtenau. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSD Nord. ARLHS FED-113; Admiralty C1248; NGA 3120.

Holtenau Nord Light, Holtenau, May 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Harald Hinnerichs

Plön District Lighthouses

Kieler Förde (Kiel Fjord) Lighthouse

* Neukirchen (1) (relocated to Mönkeberg)

1927. Inactive since 1969. Approx. 5 m (17 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern roof red. Werning also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. This little lighthouse originally stood at Neukirchen near Flensburg (see above). It serves now as the harbormaster's office of the yacht harbor of Mönkeberg, on the east side of the Kieler Bucht about 5 km (3 mi) northeast of Kiel. Located on the south pier of the harbor. Site open, tower status unknown. Owner/site manager: Wassersport Vereinigung Mönkeberg. ARLHS FED-162.

Kieler Bucht Naval Warning Lights
Note: Kiel is the traditional home port of the German Navy (Deutschemarine), and the navy's premier training area is the Kieler Bucht (Kiel Bay) between Kiel and Fehmarn. The six lights in this group, maintained by the Navy and located on the shore of Kieler Bucht, are not aids to navigation in the usual sense; they serve to delimit the offshore training areas and warn civilian ships away from training in progress.

* Heidkate 1983. Active; focal plane about 30 m (98 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. Approx. 27.5 m (90 ft) round cylindrical tower with large round lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Werning also has a photo, Trabas has a photo by Ulrich Bode, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located just behind the dike at the eastern entrance to the Kieler Förde at Heidkate. Site and tower closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-100; Admiralty 1276.2. * Hubertsberg 1980s. Active; focal plane about 25 m (82 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) round cylindrical tower with large round lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery red. Werning has a good closeup, Trabas has a photo by Ulrich Bode, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a bluff above the Kieler Bucht near Hubertsberg, about 20 km (13 mi) east of Schönberg. Site and tower closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-299; Admiralty 1276.1. * Neuland 1918. Inactive as an aid to navigation since 1998 but still active as a warning tower; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 40 m (131 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and double gallery. Several keeper's houses in use by the Navy. Formerly the lighthouse had red and white horizontal bands, but the paint was removed in 1986. Today the tower is a handsome red-brown brick, the lantern and gallery metallic gray. A WSA Lübeck photo is at right, Wikimedia has photos, Wolfgang Gottschalk has a photo and a closeup of the lantern, Werning has a fine page for the lighthouse, Leuchtturm-Atlas also has a fine photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic tower was completed in 1916 but could not be placed in service until the end of World War I. It formerly guided ships into the Hohwachter Bucht to the small port of Hohwachter. It was deactivated in 1996 and transferred to the Navy as a warning tower. Located near the shore about 5 km (3 mi) east of Behrendsdorf. Site and tower generally closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby and the Navy opens the lighthouse to visitors several times each summer. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-164; Admiralty C1276; NGA 3136.

Neuland Light, Behrensdorf WSA Lübeck photo

Ostholstein (East Holstein) District Lighthouses

Kieler Bucht Naval Warning Lights

* Wessek

1980s. Active; focal plane about 15 m (50 ft); flash every 5 s, red or green depending on direction. 8 m (27 ft) lantern and gallery on a very short round cylindrical tower rising from a 1-story brick observation and command center. The lantern and gallery, painted gold previously, are now painted red as seen in Werning's photo. Google has a satellite view. Located just above the beach on the east side of Hohwachter Bucht northeast of Weißenhäuser Strand. Site and tower closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-317.

* Blankeck

1980s. Active; focal plane about 25 m (82 ft); flash every 5 s, red or green depending on direction. 12 m (40 ft) round cylindrical tower with large round lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery gold, or perhaps orange as seen in Werning's photo. Google has a satellite view. Located just off the beach near Johannistal, about 13 km (8 mi) west of Heiligenhafen. Site and tower closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-284.

* Heiligenhafen Warnfeuer

1980s. Active; focal plane about 27 m (89 ft); flash every 5 s, red or green depending on direction. 20 m (66 ft) round cylindrical tower with large round lantern and gallery. Tower painted white, lantern and gallery gold. Werning has a distant photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located just off the beach about 5 km (3 mi) west of Heiligenhafen. Site and tower closed (restricted military facility) but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Operator: Deutschemarine. ARLHS FED-106.

Heiligenhafen and Fehmarn Lighthouses
Note: Fehmarn is an island in the Baltic north of Heiligenhafen, separated from the mainland by the narrow Fehmarnsund on the south and from the Danish island of Lolland by the Fehmarn Belt on the north. Germany completed a bridge over the Fehmarnsund in 1963, and now Denmark and Germany plan to build a tunnel under the much wider Fehmarn Belt. When completed in 2020 this tunnel will put Fehmarn on a main auto (E47) and rail route between western Europe and Scandinavia.

* Heiligenhafen (3)

1938 (station established 1885). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice every 9 s. 13 m (42 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 1-story brick keeper's house. Tower unpainted; lantern and gallery painted white. Trabas has an excellent closeup photo by Manfred Schüler, Werning also has a good photo, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Heiligenhafen is on the mainland shore of the Fehmarnsund, with its harbor protected by the long Graswarder sand spit. This lighthouse guides ships as they round the end of the spit to enter the harbor. The original light was mounted on a fish packing house; after that building burned, a 10 m (33 ft) round stone tower was built in 1907. Huelse has a rare postcard view showing both the 1907 and present lighthouses. Located just off the coastal road about 5 km (3 mi) east of the center of Heiligenhafen. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-105; Admiralty C1328; NGA 3156.

* Strukkamphuk (Unterfeuer) (3) 1935 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 1.5 s on, 1.5 s off, intensified on the range line. 5 m (17 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern, painted white. Werning has an excellent page for this little lighthouse, Leuchtturm-Atlas also has a closeup photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. In addition to serving general navigation, this little lighthouse has served since 1977 as the front light of a range that guides westbound ships entering the Fehmarnsund. The rear light is on the Flügge lighthouse (next entry). The first light here, mounted on a wood post, was replaced in 1896 by a round cast iron tower. The lantern from the 1896 lighthouse is now at the yacht harbor in Wackerballig, near Flensburg (see above). Located on a point of land on the south side of Fehmarn about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of the Fehmarnsund bridge (E47); Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-234; Admiralty C1288; NGA 3216. **** Flügge (Oberfeuer) (2) 1916 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 38 m (125 ft); white light, occulting four times every 20 s (2.5 s on, 1.5 s off but with every fifth occultation omitted); also a continuous white light is shown along the Strukkamphuk range line at a focal plane of 37 m (122 ft). 37 m (122 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and double gallery; Fresnel lens in use. The tower is unpainted red-brown brick; lantern, watch room, and galleries painted red. This is an unusually complete light station, with several keeper's houses and other buildings preserved. A 2011 photo by Stephen Hix is at right, Wikimedia has photos, Trabas has a photo by Hix, and Google has a satellite view. During a renovation in 1976-77, the tower was covered with hard fiberboard panels colored with red and white horizontal bands. The range light was also added in 1977. Leuchtturm-Atlas has excellent photos and Marinas.com has aerial photos showing the lighthouse covered by the fiberboard. In 2010-11 there was a complete restoration of the lighthouse; the fiberboard was removed and the brickwork repaired. The lighthouse is Fehmarn's best known and most visited historic landmark. Located at the southwestern tip of the island, near the village of Flügge, marking the western entrance to the Fehmarnsund. Site open daily, tower open daily except Mondays from April 1 through October 31. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-085; Admiralty C1288.1; NGA 3220. * Westermarkelsdorf 1881 (heightened in 1902). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 2.5 s on, 7.5 s off. 18 m (58 ft) octagonal brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story keeper's house. Tower is painted beige or pale yellow; lantern and gallery painted red. The lighthouse was heightened from 10 m (33 ft) in 1902; the seam between the two sections is clearly visible. The keeper's house appears to be in use as a residence. Trabas has a fine closeup photo by Schüler, Werning also has a good photo, Larry Myhre has a 2006 photo, Marinas.com has distant aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located just behind the dike on the Markersdorfer Huk, the northwestern point of Fehmarn, marking the western entrance to the Fehmarn Belt. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-261; Admiralty C1280; NGA 3164.

Flügge Light, Fehmarn, April 2011 Picasaweb photo copyright Stephen Hix; used by permission

* Marienleuchte (2) 1967 (station established 1832). Active; focal plane 39.5 m (130 ft); four short flashes, separated by 2.8 s, every 15 s. 33 m (108 ft) round cylindrical reinforced concrete tower with round lantern and gallery. Tower covered with hard fiberboard panels colored with red and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. Trabas has a photo, a closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. Located a short distance north of the historic lighthouse (next entry) southeast of the ferry terminal at Puttgarden, where ferries link Fehmarn to Denmark. Site appears open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-016; Admiralty C1284; NGA 3188. * Marienleuchte (1) 1832. Inactive since 1964. 18 m (60 ft) square 4-story wooden tower with lantern and chimney on its flat roof, rising from the center of 2-story wooden keeper's house. Building is painted beige; the lantern is red with a white roof; the keeper's house has a steeply pitched roof covered by orange tile. The photo at right is from Werning's excellent page for the lighthouse, Wikimedia has photos, Larry Myhre has a distant view of both lighthouses, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Built by Denmark, this historic lighthouse is called Marienleuchte (Maria's Light) because it was inaugurated by the Danish Queen Maria Sophie Friederike on her birthday, 28 October 1832. According to WSA Lübeck, the lighthouse was closed in 1964 because it was in poor structural condition and could not be heightened to meet the needs of shipping. It is not known whether there has been any restoration work done on the building since that time, but it does not appear to be in good condition. Located on the Fehmarn Belt at Ohlensburgs Huk, a point about 1.5 km (1 mi) southeast of the ferry terminal at Puttgarden, where ferries link Fehmarn to Denmark. Site appears open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. ARLHS FED-151.

1832 Marienleuchte Light, Fehmarn photo copyright Malte Werning; used by permission

Staberhuk

1904. Active; focal plane 25.5 m (84 ft); white or green light, depending on direction, occulting twice, separated by 3 s, every 20 s. 22.5 m (74 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted, lantern and gallery painted red. Complete light station, with 1-1/2 story keeper's house and other buildings. Werning has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a good photo, Leuchtturm-Atlas also has a photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse has two unique features. First, the original yellow brick of the tower did not stand up to the harsh weather of Baltic winters, so it was replaced by red brick, but only on the north and west sides of the tower. As a result, the tower appears from the distance to have a yellow vertical stripe on its seaward (southeast) side. Second, Staberhuk's lantern room and Fresnel lens were originally installed by the English lighthouse agency Trinity House on the Helgoland Light in 1870, while Britain administered that North Sea island; they became available for this tower when the lighthouse on Helgoland was replaced by a taller tower in 1901. Located on the southeastern point of Fehmarn about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Staberdorf. Site and tower closed (station occupied as a private residence), but there is a good view from the beach; according to the Anke/Jens site one can walk the beach from an army post to the north. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-226; Admiralty C1286; NGA 3192.

Lübecker Bucht (Lübeck Bay) Lighthouses

** Dahmeshöved 1880 (L. A. Veitmeyer). Active; focal plane 33.5 m (110 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.2 s, every 12 s. 29 m (95 ft) octagonal cylindrical brown brick tower with iron lantern and watch room and double gallery, attached to one side of a 2-story brick keeper's house. Tower unpainted; lantern and watch room painted red. Keeper's house is currently painted yellow. Werning's photo is at the top of this page, Leuchtturm-Atlas has a fine photo of the station, Wikimedia has many photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. A fine example of German Imperial architecture, this handsome lighthouse is the landfall light for Lübeck, marking the northern entrance to the Lübecker Bucht. In 1939, the Nazi regime added to the station an 18 m (60 ft) octagonal brick watchtower with gallery and a pyramidal tile roof in a style echoing the architecture of the lighthouse. The lighthouse carried red and white horizontal bands for many years; the paint was removed in 1982. The keeper's house is occupied by resident caretakers, and the lighthouse is protected as a historic site. Its name includes an interesting appearance in German of the Danish word høvd for a promentory. Located in the village of Dahmeshöved, about 400 m (1/4 mi) north of the cape of that name, about 6 km (4.5 mi) south of Dahme and 70 km (45 mi) northeast of Lübeck. Site open, tower open to guided tours afternoons except Saturdays, April through October; on Saturdays the lighthouse is a popular site for weddings. Operator: WSA Lübeck. Site manager: private. ARLHS FED-069; Admiralty C1342; NGA 3244. * Pelzerhaken 1937 (extensively rebuilt 1842 lighthouse). Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white, red, or green light, depending on direction, 3 s on, 4 s off, 3 s on, 10 s off. 19.5 m (64 ft) square cylindrical red brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to one side of a 2-story brick keeper's house. Tower unpainted; lantern and gallery painted white. The present lighthouse encases the original Danish lighthouse, a 12 m (40 ft) square stone tower. Affixed to the front face of the tower is a bronze eagle, the Nazi version of the German Imperial eagle, with the construction date 1936. A photo is at right, Werning's page has a good photo, Trabas has a photo by Schüler, Wikimedia has photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view of the original lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a promentory about 8 km (5 mi) southeast of Neustadt in Holstein, marking the entrance to the Neustädter Bucht. Site and tower closed, but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. Operator: WSA Lübeck. Site manager: private. ARLHS FED-188; Admiralty C1346; NGA 3248.

Pelzerhaken Light, Neustadt, December 2010 Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Wusel007

Hansestadt Lübeck Lighthouses

Travemünde Lighthouses

**** Travemünde (2) 1539 (station established at least by 1316). Inactive since 1972. 31 m (101 ft) round six-stage brick tower with a full gallery at the fifth stage and a half gallery at the third. Apparently the light was shown through a window and there was never a lantern. A photo by Michael Mertens is at the top of this page, Werning has a page with a good photo, Wikimedia has photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. This is (easily) Germany's oldest lighthouse. There is evidence of a light being displayed at Travemünde as early as 1226 and definite record of a lightkeeper being employed from 1316. The original lighthouse was destroyed by Danish troops in 1534. Open fires were displayed for centuries; a lens was added in 1827. The lighthouse remained in service until the construction of a high-rise hotel made it obsolete; the light was then moved to the roof of the hotel and the old light station became a museum. A restoration of the tower was completed in 2003. Located in downtown Travemünde on the north side of the entrance to the river Trave, the inner harbor of Lübeck. Site open; museum and tower open daily April through October and during the Christmas holidays; otherwise weekends only during the winter. Site manager: Leuchtturm Travemünde. ARLHS FED-241. * Travemünde (3) 1974. Active; focal plane 114.5 m (376 ft); flash every 5 s, white or red depending on direction. 113 m (371 ft) high-rise hotel building; the light is displayed from the northernmost corner of the roof. Germany's highest light. Leuchtturm-Atlas has a nice photo showing the hotel looming over the old lighthouse, Werning has a photo, there is also a page on the construction of the building, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the waterfront in Travemünde. Site and building open, light enclosure closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. Owner/site manager: Maritim Strandhotel Travemünde. ARLHS FED-276; Admiralty C1360; NGA 3304. * Travemünde Nordmole 1967. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); light occulting once every 4 s, red or green depending on direction. 9 m (30 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Fog horn (Morse code "TD" every 30 s: long blast, pause, long and two shorts). Jan Koch's photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup photo by Schüler, Werning has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. By day, the tower presents black and white horizontal bands. The two white bands are translucent glass panels; with light shining through these panels the tower displays two brightly and continuously illuminated white bands in addition to the red and green directional lights. Located at the end of the north mole at the mouth of the river Trave in Travemünde; accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. Operator: WSA Lübeck. ARLHS FED-240; Admiralty C1362; NGA 3308.

Nordmole Light, Travemünde, September 2005 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Jan Koch

* Feuerschiff (Lightship) Fehmarnbelt

1908. Decommissioned 1984. 45.4 m (149 ft) steel lightship; light displayed from a four-legged tower with lantern and gallery amidships. 5th order Fresnel lens. Hull painted red, superstructure white, light tower gold. Klempau has a good page on the lightship, and Google has a satellite view. The ship served most of its career on various stations in the North Sea, but it ended on the Fehmarnbelt station off Fehmarn. After its retirement, the ship appeared in a movie Das Feuerschiff; then it was sold at a bargain price to a preservation society that had formed in Lübeck. The ship is operational; during the summer it sails among the ports of Germany's Baltic coast appearing at various harbor festivals and other special events. When not at sea it is moored on the Holstenhafen waterfront in Lübeck. Site open, ship open to group tours by reservation. Owner/site manager: Feuerschiff für Lübeck e.V. ARLHS FED-141.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: North: Southeast Jylland | Northeast: Sjælland | East: Northeastern Germany

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Posted April 9, 2005. Checked and revised January 8, 2013. Lighthouses: 35; lightships: 1. Site copyright 2013 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.