Lighthouses of Denmark: Bornholm

Bornholm Mainland Lighthouses

* Rønne Bagfyr (2) 1880 (station established 1846). Inactive since 1989(?). 18 m (59 ft) tapered octagonal cast iron tower with lantern and gallery, painted white; lantern dome painted green. Ludovico Caldara's photo is at right, Alvaro Romero has a photo, Thomas Roland has a lovely view from the harbor, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic tower was fabricated in Bornholm by the firm of H. Wichmann & Co. The lighthouse was restored in 2000 and has been maintained in good condition. Curiously, NGA lists an active rear light on a "black and yellow octagonal tower" with the same height and focal plane (24 m) as the historic tower (NGA 5716). This is a mistake; the actual rear light is on the mast listed as Admiralty C2483.1 and NGA 5716.51. Located about two blocks behind the waterfront in Rønne. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-144; ex-Admiralty C2482. * Rønne Havn (Inner Mole, Forfyr) Date unknown (1930?). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); continuous red light. 9 m (30 ft) round granite tower with a small lantern and gallery. Lighthouse unpainted; the lantern is greenish metallic. Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, Trabas also has a photo, a 2006 closeup is available, and Google has a satellite view. This light was originally the front light of the entrance range, but the range was discontinued in the 1980s when the harbor was extended with outer breakwaters and a realigned entrance channel. Located at the end of the north inner breakwater at the Harbor of Rønne, the terminal for ferries arriving in Bornholm. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-143; DFL-6210; Admiralty C2489; NGA 5705. * Hammerhavn (Hammerhavnen Øst) 1893. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 4 m (13 ft) square wood tower; the light is shown through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted white. Huelse has a closeup photo, Trabas has a good view from the water, and Google has a satellite view. Hammerhavn is a small boat harbor near Hammerodde. This directional light guides vessels through the narrow harbor entrance. Located at the end of the Hammersøvej about 1.6 km (1 mi) southwest of Sandvig. Site open, tower closed. DFL-6260; Admiralty C2504; NGA 5656. **** Hammeren 1872. Inactive since 1990. 21 m (69 ft) round granite tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Original 1st order Fresnel lens. The tower is unpainted; lantern dome is unpainted greenish metallic. Dave Verwer's photo is at the top of this page, Dansk Fyrtaarne has a page for the station, Wikipedia also has a page, Anke and Jens have a page with photos, Huelse has a fine closeup photo and a historic postcard view, a 2008 photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse replaced the Stejlebjerg Fyr, established in 1802, which was closer to Hammerodde. The focal plane height was 91 m (299 ft), which proved to be too high for the light to be seen in foggy conditions. Located at the end of the Fyrvej about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Sandvig. Site open, tower open daily execpt during the winter. Site manager: Hammerfyr. ARLHS DEN-012.

Rønne Bagfyr, Rønne, July 2008 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Ludovico Caldara

* Hammerodde

1895. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); two white flashes every 10 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern gray with a red dome. This is a staffed station, serving to control all the other lighthouses of Bornholm. Dansk Fyrtaarne has a good page for the lighthouse, Huelse has a closeup photo and a historic postcard view, Trabas has a good photo, a 2009 photo is available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This light marks the northwestern corner of Bornholm, which is also the northernmost point of the island. It was apparently built because the Hammeren lighthouse (next entry) was too high for its light to be seen in foggy conditions. Located on the cape, about 800 m (1/2 mi) north of Sandvig. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-145; DFL-6010; Admiralty C2508; NGA 5844.

* Svaneke Havn Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) square wood tower; the light is shown through a rectangular window. Trabas has a closeup photo, Huelse also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The building is painted green in the photo, but NGA lists it as being red. Located on the waterfront in Svaneke, just south of the harbor. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-147; DFL-6098; Admiralty C2532; NGA 5776. * Svaneke (Sandkås Odde) 1920. Inactive since 2010. 18 m (59 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house. The tower is unpainted; lantern dome painted red. Anke/Jens have a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has an excellent photo, a 2007 photo is available, Klaus Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the northeastern corner of Bornholm. Located at the end of the Skovgade at the eastern end of Sveneke. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-146; DFL-6085; ex-Admiralty C2530; ex-NGA 5768. **** Dueodde 1962. Active; focal plane 48 m (157 ft); three white flashes every 10 s. 47 m (154 ft) hexagonal cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and double gallery. Tower painted white; galleries painted dark blue; lantern dome is gray metallic. The Fresnel lens (1886) of the Dueodde Nord lighthouse was transferred to this tower. Jan Kronsell's photo is at right, Dansk Fyrtaarne has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a closeup, Huelse has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This is Denmark's tallest lighthouse and one of the most important lighthouses of the Baltic Sea. Located a short distance seaward of the Dueodde Syd lighthouse. Site open; tower open for climbing during the afternoon daily. ARLHS DEN-149; DFL-6150; Admiralty C2550; NGA 5732. * Dueodde Syd 1880. Inactive since 1962. 15 m (49 ft) hexagonal masonry tower rising from the seaward side of a 2-story masonry keeper's house. Entire lighthouse painted white. After the lighthouse was deactivated, the original lantern was removed and replaced with a large observation room, destroying the architectural integrity of the historic building. Dansk Fyrtaarne has a page for the station, Huelse has a closeup photo and a historic postcard view showing the original form of the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. Afrer deactivation the building was used as a traffic monitoring station, but we don't know if it still serves this use. Located at the end of the Fyrvejen in Dueodde, not far from the beach and the modern lighthouse. Site status unknown, but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. ARLHS DEN-150.

Dueodde Fyr, Snogebæk, July 2008 Wikimedia public domain photo by Jan Kronsell

* Dueodde Nord

1880. Inactive since 1962. Approx. 32 m (105 ft) round granite tower with gallery, attached to a 1-story keeper's house. The lantern has been removed. Two additional 1-1/2 story keeper's houses nearby. The lighthouse is unpainted dark gray stone. Dansk Fyrtaarne has a page for the station, Huelse has a good photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. One of two lighthouses originally built to mark Dueodde, the southern tip of Bornholm; two were built because a dispute over the best location for the light could not be resolved. After deactivation, the light station was transferred to the Danish Navy, which maintains a communications station on the property. Located on the Strandmarksvejen in Dueodde about 1200 m (3/4 mi) north of the cape. Site and tower closed (naval installation), but the lighthouse can be seen from nearby. ARLHS DEN-148.

Christiansø Lighthouses

Note: Christiansø is the largest of three small Ertholmene islands located in the Baltic Sea about 16 km (10 mi) north northeast of Bølshavn, Bornholm. The total population of the islands is less than 100, but they are popular as a summer resort and yacht harbor. Denmark fortified the islands in 1684. Ferry transportation is available from Bornholm. *** Christiansø 1805 (Westh and Poul Løwvenørn). Active; focal plane 29 m (95 ft); white flash every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery mounted atop a circular stone fortification known as the Store Tårn (big tower). The fort is unpainted, tower painted white; lantern dome is greenish metallic. The Fresnel lens now in use here was transferred from the Hyllekrog lighthouse south of Lolland in 1971; the original drum-style Fresnel lens is on display at the Orlogsmuseet in Copenhagen. Jannik Anker's photo is at right, Anke/Jens have a good page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a photo by Karl-Heinz Wellm, Huelse has a closeup photo and a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This was the first Danish lighthouse to display a flashing light. The lighthouse has a resident caretaker who conducts tours on request. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-004; DFL-6270; Admiralty C2556; NGA 5848. * Fredericksø (Christiansø Havn) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) square wood tower; the light is shown through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Huelse has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Fredericksø is a smaller island just west of Christiansø, to which it is connected by a bridge. This light guides vessels entering the harbor from the north. Located on the Fredericksø waterfront just north of the bridge. Site open, tower closed. DFL-6280; Admiralty C2558; NGA 5856.

Christiansø Fyr, Christiansø, July 2010 Flickr Creative Commons photo by Jannik Anker

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Stejlebjerg (1802-1872), Hammerodde

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: Southeast: Poland Baltic Coast | Southwest: Northeastern Germany | West: Sjælland | Northwest: Blekinge

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Posted February 12, 2007. Checked and revised December 30, 2012. Lighthouses: 12. Site copyright 2012 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.