Lighthouses of Denmark: Bornholm

Bornholm is a Danish island, roughly 35 km (22 mi) long and 15 km (9 mi) wide, located in the southwestern Baltic Sea. Although the island is closer to Sweden, Poland, and Germany than it is to rest of Denmark, it has been part of the Danish kingdom for most of its history. Because of its strategic location, it has been involved in many wars. During World War II, it was occupied by German troops from 1940 to 1945 and then by Soviet troops until April 1946, when it was restored to Danish control. The island is accessible by air or by ferries from Køge in Sjælland, Ystad in Sweden, Sassnitz in Germany, or Swinoujscie in Poland. The Danish word for a lighthouse is fyr. The front light of a range is the forfyr and the rear light is the bagfyr. Aids to navigation in Denmark are maintained by the Royal Danish Administration of Navigation and Hydrography (RDANH). ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. DFL numbers are from the Dansk Fyrliste (Danish Light List). Admiralty numbers are from volume C of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 116. General Sources Visit our Lighthouses RDANH site with English-language information on the 12 Danish lighthouses open to the public. Danske Fyrtårne A comprehensive site on Danish lighthouses, with many photos; the text is entirely in Danish. Online List of Lights - Bornholm Photos of active aids to navigation, including lighthouses and minor aids, maintained by Alex Trabas. Leuchtturmseiten von Anke und Jens - Denmark Photos of more than 100 Danish lighthouses, with notes in English. Dänische Leuchttürme Photos of more than 175 Danish lighthouses posted by Klaus Huelse. Lighthouses in Denmark Aerial photos posted by Marinas.com. Indholdsfortegnelse History of the Danish lighthouse service, with photos of selected lighthouses, posted by the Danish Environment and Energy Ministry (Miljø & Energi Ministeriet). Dänische Leuchttürme auf historischen Postkarten Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.

Hammeren Fyr, June 2007 Creative Commons photo by Dave Verwer

Bornholm Mainland Lighthouses

* 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. Ludovico Caldara's photo appears at right, Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, Trabas also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light was originally the front 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. * Rønne Bagfyr (2) 1880. 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, 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. 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 appears to be a mistake. Located about two blocks behind the waterfront in Rønne. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-144; Admiralty C2482. * 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. 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. 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.

Rønne Bagfyr, July 2008 Creative Commons photo by Ludovico Caldara

* 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. Huelse has a closeup photo and a historic postcard view showing the original form of the lighthouse; Google has a satellite view. 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 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. Jan Kronsell's photo is at right, 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. * Svaneke (Sandkås Odde) 1920. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); two white flashes every 20 s. 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; Admiralty C2530; NGA 5768. * 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. * 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. 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. 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.

Dueodde Fyr, July 2008 Wikipedia public domain photo by Jan Kronsell

* 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. The tower is unpainted; lantern dome is unpainted greenish metallic. Dave Verwer's photo is at the top of this page, 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. Located at the end of the Fyrvej about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) west of Sandvig. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-012.

* Hammerhavn

Date unknown. 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. 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.

Christiansø Lighthouses

Note: Christiansø is the largest of three small 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. Joan Larsen'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. 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, September 2006 Creative Commons photo by Joan Larsen

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Stejlebjerg (1802-1872), Hammerodde

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted February 12, 2007. Checked and revised March 31, 2009. Lighthouses: 12. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.