Lighthouses of Denmark: Sjælland, Lolland, and Falster

Denmark, located at the mouth of the Baltic Sea, includes the north-pointing peninsula of Jylland (Jutland) in the west and a large number of islands to the east. The capital, København (Copenhagen), is on the island of Sjælland. Other major Danish islands include Fyn (between Sjælland and Jylland), Lolland and Falster (south of Sjælland) and Bornholm (farther east in the Baltic). This page covers the lighthouses of Sjælland, Lolland, Falster, and nearby smaller islands. Sjælland is the location of København (Copenhagen), Denmark's capital and largest city. 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 - Denmark East Photos of active aids to navigation, including lighthouses and minor aids, maintained by Alex Trabas. Leuchttürme.net - Dänemark A fine web site by Malte Werning, with excellent photos. 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. Sjælland Photos posted by Anna Krákorová. 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. Danske Fyrskibe Comprehensive information on Danish lightships (in Danish), posted by the group managing the Horns-Rev. Feuerschiffe in Dänemark Lightship information posted by Iris Klempau.

Stevns Fyr, October 2008 Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Mogens Engelund Nordre Røse Fyr, København, September 2006 Wikipedia Creative Commons photo by Niels Elgaard Larsen

Sjælland West Coast (Store Bælt) Lighthouses

*** Langelands Øre (Omø) 1894. Active; focal plane 21 m (69 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 12 s. 22 m (72 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted yellow, lantern white. 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Huelse has a closeup photo showing the lighthouse freshly repainted a bright yellow, Ejaz Yousaf has a sunset photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse also has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Despite its name, this lighthouse is not on Langeland but across the Store Bælt on the island of Omø. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Strignaes on Sjælland. Located on the western tip of the island. Site open, and the Anke/Jens site says the tower is open for climbing. ARLHS DEN-127; DFL-3694; Admiralty C1640; NGA 4120. * Helleholm (2) 1900 (station established 1846). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 15 s. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern dome red. Trabas has a closeup by Karl-Heinz Wellm, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a 2008 photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on Helleholm, the southeastern tip of the island of Agersø, about 3 km (2 mi) southwest of Strignaes. Agersø is accessible by ferry from Strignaes. There's also a good view of this lighthouse from ferries between Strignaes and Omø. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-014; DFL-5188; Admiralty C1648 NGA 4092.

Omø Fyr (left) and Helleholm Fyr; RDANH photos

Agersø Flak

1977. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three white flashes every 10 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a tall mast. Entire lighthouse painted red. Located on the east side of the Store Bælt channel about 5 km (3 mi) west of the island of Agersø and a similar distance northwest of Omø. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-3686; Admiralty C1534.8; NGA 4088.

Vengeancegrund

1977. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white flashes every 5 s, white, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a tall mast. Entire lighthouse painted red. Located on the west side of the Store Bælt channel about 2.7 km (1.7 mi) northwest of the Agersø Flak light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-3680; Admiralty C1534.7; NGA 4084.

Egholm Flak

1977. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white flashes every 3 s, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a tall mast. Entire lighthouse painted red. Egholm is the northern point of Agersø. Located on the west side of the Store Bælt channel about 5 km (3 mi) northwest of Agersø. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-3675; Admiralty C1534.6; NGA 4080.

* Korsør

1913. Inactive since 1999. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern, gallery, and enclosed watch room. Entire lighthouse painted red. A fine closeup is available, Huelse has a 2008 photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This lighthouse formerly stood in the Store Bælt, guiding the ferries from Nyborg on Fyn. It was deactivated after the completion of the Great Belt Fixed Link, which opened to rail traffic in 1997 and to auto traffic in 1998. A local preservation group then organized to save the lighthouse, and it was relocated to a position of honor on the Korsør waterfront. Located at the west end of the Gamle Banegårdsplads on the north side of the inner harbor entrance at Korsør. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-170.

* Halsskov (4)

1894. Inactive since 1917. 7 m (23 ft) semicircular masonry tower with lantern and gallery attached to the seaward end of a 1-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. Building painted white with gray trim. Huelse has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. The original basket light was replaced in 1810 by a basket on a triangular brick pedestal; Huelse also has a photo of that light, which stands in front of the 1894 lighthouse. The third lighthouse was built in 1856. Located at the end of the Lygtebakken facing the waterfront of Halsskov, on the northwest side of Korsør. Site and tower closed (private residence), but the lighthouse can be viewed from nearby. ARLHS DEN-032.

* Sprogø (2) 1868 (station established 1809). Reactivated (inactive 1980-1997); focal plane 44 m (144 ft); white flash every 5 s. 19 m (62 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is built of lighter and darker bricks arranged so that the tower has dark brown and light brown horizontal bands; the lantern is gray metallic. Olli Wilkman's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, the Anke/Jens site also has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Sprogø is an island in the middle of the Store Bælt between Nyborg and Korsør. The Great Belt Fixed Link (Storebæltsforbindelse) now carries the E-20 expressway across the island, so thousands of vehicles roar past the lighthouse every day. The light was reactivated in connection with the completion of the Fixed Link project. Located on the highest point of the island, on the south side of the E-20. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-062; DFL-3405; Admiralty C1532.2; NGA 3688. Østerrenden Syd 1992. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); two white flashes every 3 s, red or green depending on direction. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a tall mast. Entire lighthouse painted red. Trabas has a closeup. The Østerrenden channel, east of Sprogø, is the main ship channel under the Great Belt Fixed Link. Located just south of the west pylon of the Østbroen (Eastern Bridge), which links Sprogø to Sjælland. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-3424; Admiralty C1534; NGA 3692.

Sprogø Fyr, May 2008 Creative Commons photo by Olli Wilkman

Østerrenden Nord

1992. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); three green flashes every 10 s. 10 m (33 ft) round lantern and gallery mounted on a tall mast. Entire lighthouse painted green. Located on the west side of the Østerrenden channel at its northern end, about 1 km (0.6 mi) northeast of the Sprogø Nordost light. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-3396; Admiralty C1532.5; NGA 3682.

* Røsnaes

1844 (heightened in 1859). Active; focal plane 24 m (79 ft); white flash every 5 s. 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. Trabas has a fine closeup, Werning has a distant view, the history of the station is available, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse stands on the westernmost point of Sjælland, at the end of a long, narrow peninsula that protects the north side of the Kalundborg Fjord. Located at the end of the road, near Hellesklint and about 15 km (9 mi) west of Kalundborg. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-034; DFL-2025; Admiralty C1496; NGA 3588.

Røsnaes Puller

1939. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); two white flashes every 5 s. 7 m (23 ft) post light mounted on a round granite base, all standing on a round pier. Originally, this was an approximately 18 m (59 ft) round 2-stage tower with lantern and gallery, upper stage cast iron and lower stage granite. All of this lighthouse has been removed except for the granite lower stage. Huelse has a photo of the lighthouse, in dilapidated condition, before the upper stage was removed. Located on a shoal about 2 km (1.2 mi) west of the Røsnaes lighthouse. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-2020; Admiralty C1498; NGA 3592.

Sjælland North Coast (Kattegat) Lighthouses
* Sejerø

1852. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); two white flashes every 15 s. 19 m (62 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is painted a pale yellow; the lantern is gray metallic. A 1-1/2 story keeper's house is nearby. Huelse has a nice closeup by Bernd Claußen and a historic postcard view, Trabas has a closeup by Karl-Heinz Wellm, and Google has a satellite view. Sejero is a sandy island in the Kattegat about 8 km (5 mi) west of Ordrup Naes. Ferry transportation to the island is available from Havnsø. Located atop a dune at the western tip of the island. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-125; DFL-1975; Admiralty C1486; NGA 3556.

Sjællands Rev Nord

1971. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical tower with lantern, gallery, and a helipad atop the lantern. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Trabas has a distant view. Located on a submerged rocky reef (rev) in the Kattegat about 6 km (3.5 mi) northwest of the tip of the Sjællands Odde spit. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-037; DFL-1920; Admiralty C1478; NGA 2036.

Hesselø (2)

1865 (rebuilt in 1902) (station established 1841). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white flash every 15 s. 24 m (79 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and double gallery, attached by a covered passageway to a 2-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern gray or black. Trabas has a distant photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a good satellite view. The lighthouse was substantially rebuilt in 1902 after a large crack appeared in the tower. Hesselø is a small, isolated island in the Kattegat about 25 km (15 mi) north of Sjælland. The island is privately owned and closed to visitors. Located on the highest point of the island. Site and tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS DEN-016; DFL-1035; Admiralty C0222; NGA 2044.

** Spodsbjerg (3)

1907 (station established 1845). Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical masonry tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a small equipment shed. The lantern is topped by a cast iron crown, the Danish royal symbol. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome and crown painted red. Trabas has an excellent closeup, Huelse has a closeup and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks the entrance to the Isefjord, a large protected bay on the north coast of Sjælland. Located at the end of the Fyrstein, off the Spodsbjergvej on the north side of Hundested. Site open; the Anke/Jens site says the tower is open for climbing. ARLHS DEN-120; DFL-1050; Admiralty C0226; NGA 2052.

* Roskilde Havn Bagfyr

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); red light, 1 s on, 1 s off, synchronized with the front light. Light mounted on the roof of a 1-story brick building; we don't know the nature of the building. Trabas has a photo. The front light is on a mast on the waterfront, 400 m (1/4 mi) north. This range guides boats into the harbor of Roskilde, at the head of the Roskilde Fjord, an eastern branch of the Isefjord that lies in the western suburbs of København. Located several blocks south of the Roskilde waterfront. Site open. DFL-1240a; Admiralty C0239.71; NGA 2120.

**** Nakkehoved (Vest) 1772. Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 21 m (69 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. A 1° Fresnel lens (1898) is in use. The tower was raised in height by about 10 m (33 ft) in 1898, when the current lantern and lens were installed. A photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo, Huelse has both a photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This historic and well-known lighthouse stands on the west side of the entrance to The Sound, the narrow passage between Denmark and Sweden that is the shortest and deepest entrance to the Baltic Sea. The station is managed by the Holbo Herreds Kulturhistoriske Centre, which provides tours year round. Located at the end of the Fyrvejen, off the Nakkehovedstrandvej on the east side of Gilleleje. Site open, tower open for tours daily except Mondays May through October and on Wednesdays and Sundays November through April. Site manager: Fyrhistorisk Museum på Nakkehoved. ARLHS DEN-028; DFL-2515; Admiralty C1872; NGA 4592. * Nakkehoved Øst 1772. Inactive since 1898. Approx. 11 m (36 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white. Huelse also has a photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. The Nakkehoved station originally had twin lighthouses separated by about 300 m (1000 ft). In 1898 the eastern lighthouse was deactivated while the western one was raised in height and upgraded to a first order station. The old east lighthouse has been preserved and has been in use recently as a waterfront restaurant. Located on the Fyrvejen in Gilleleje, about 500 m (0.4 mi) east of the active lighthouse. Site open, restaurant open daily, tower status unknown. Site manager: Restaurant Fyrkroen. ARLHS DEN-027.

Nakkehoved Vestfyr, June 2006 anonymous Wikipedia GNU License photo

Helsingør Area Lighthouses
* Julebaek

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) square wood building; the light is displayed through a rectangular window set into a corner of the structure. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Trabas has a closeup photo. This directional light guides westbound ships that have just passed Helsingør on their way out of the Baltic. Located just off the beach on the east side of Hellebaek, about 4 km (2.5 mi) northwest of Helsingør. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-124; DFL-2536; Admiralty C1884; NGA 4612.

** Kronborg (Helsingør Slot, Elsinore Castle) 1772 (castle built 1585). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 31 m (102 ft) castle tower with lantern and double gallery. Casper Moller's photo is at right, Huelse has a good photo and a romantic postcard view, the Anke/Jens site has a 2003 photo and two photos taken while the tower was under restoration in 2001, Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Kronborg is one of the most famous castles of northern Europe, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture, and the fictional setting of Shakespeare's tragedy Hamlet. It stands on a peninsula marking the narrowest point of the Oresund; the Swedish coast is only 4 km (2.5 mi) to the east. The castle was built by King Frederick II to control the entrance to the Baltic Sea. The light crowns the northeastern tower of the castle, called the Dronningens Tårn (Queen's Tower). A light was first placed in a window of the tower in 1772. A lantern was added to the tower in 1800, and in 1842 Denmark's first Fresnel lens was installed. The present lantern with its elaborate crown was built in 1878. Located just to the northeast of Helsingør harbor. Site open, castle open daily; tower status unknown. Site manager: Danish Palaces and Properties Agency (Slots og Ejendomsstyrelsen). ARLHS DEN-119; DFL-2570; Admiralty C1908; NGA 4672. * Helsingør Nordmole Date unknown (1916?). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous green light. 6 m (20 ft) 2-stage round tower with a small lantern, painted green with white trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a fine closeup, and Google has a satellite view of both lighthouses. Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view of an earlier mole lighthouse. Located at the end of the north mole protecting the harbor of Helsingør. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-230; DFL-2598; Admiralty C1914; NGA 4684. * Helsingør Sydmole Date unknown (1916?). Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) 2-stage round tower with a small lantern, painted red with white trim; lantern dome is gray metallic. Trabas has a fine closeup, Huelse also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view of both lighthouses. Located at the end of the south mole protecting the harbor of Helsingør. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-229; DFL-2594; Admiralty C1912; NGA 4676.

Kronborg Fyr, May 2008 Creative Commons photo by Casper Moller

København (Copenhagen) Area Lighthouses
Note: The C-shaped fortress of Trekroner lies strategically in the center of the entrance to København. Long breakwaters extend north and south from the fortified island, leaving only narrow passages at the north and south.
* Hellerup

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (17 ft); green flash every 3 s. 4.5 m (15 ft) hexagonal metal tower with a small lantern. Lighthouse painted dark green (almost black). Benches surround this tiny lighthouse. Huelse also has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The light may have been relocated to this site; if so, we don't know its origin. Located at the end of the east mole of the yacht harbor at Hellerup, a residential neighborhood on the north side of København. Accessible by walking the mole. Site open, tower closed. DFL-2672; Admiralty C1950; NGA 4736.

* Middelgrundsfort Vest (2) 1975 (station established 1952). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted red. Huelse has a closeup photo, Krákorová also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. The Middelgrundsfort is a fortress built on a shoal off the harbor of København. After many years of disuse, the fortress now houses a restaurant and conference center. Located about 3.5 km (2 mi) northeast of the harbor; accessible by passenger ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-130; DFL-2840; Admiralty C1964; NGA 4760. * Middelgrundsfort Øst (2) 1975 (station established 1952). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 12 s. 4 m (13 ft) round lantern, painted red. Huelse has a closeup photo, Krákorová also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located about 3.5 km (2 mi) northeast of the harbor; accessible by passenger ferry. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-129; DFL-2845; Admiralty C1965; NGA 4764. * Stubben (Frihavn Nordmole) Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); green flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a good satellite view. Located at the end of a short breakwater on the north side of the northern entrance to København. Site open, tower closed. DFL-2714; Admiralty C1983; NGA 4812. * Langeliniekaj Date unknown. Inactive. 4 m (13 ft) round cast iron tower with a small lantern, painted red with one white horizontal band. A photo appears at right, Huelse has a 2008 photo, and Google has a satellite view. This light is missing from the Danish Light List. Located at the end of the Langelinie quay. Site open, tower closed. * Kronløbsbassin Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); continuous green light. 4.5 m (15 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern, painted green. Trabas has a photo, Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a short mole in the northwest section of København harbor. Site and tower closed. DFL-2732; Admiralty C1994; NGA 4824. Frihavn Sydmole Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); red flash every 3 s. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the long breakwater extending from the north side of the island of Trekroner. Site and tower closed. DFL-2710; Admiralty C1982; NGA 4808.

Langeliniekaj Fyr, May 2006 anonymous Creative Commons photo

* Trekroner (2)

1926 (station established 1836). Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 1 s on, 1 s off. 12 m (39 ft) round tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on an early 19th century stone fort. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has a photo, Huelse has a good photo, and Google has a satellite view. The island is accessible by water taxi service from the København waterfront. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-044; DFL-2705; Admiralty C1978; NGA 4804.

#Trekroner Forfyr

1877. Inactive since 1926. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) cast iron skeletal tower with a round lantern room. The abandoned lighthouse was painted with a red and white checkerboard daymark. Huelse has a photo, Google has a satellite view, and the light appears at the extreme right of Trabas's photo of the 1926 lighthouse. When Krákorová visited the fort in 2009, she found the old lighthouses had been removed. Formerly located northwest of the present lighthouse. Site open.

#Trekroner Bagfyr

1877. Inactive since 1926. Approx. 4.5 m (15 ft) round cast iron lantern mounted on four short legs. Huelse has a photo. The abandoned lighthouse was painted with a red and white checkerboard daymark. When Krákorová visited the fort in 2009, she found the old lighthouses had been removed. Formerly located west of the present lighthouse. Site open.

Lynetteløb (2)

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 5 m (17 ft) post light mounted on a round concrete base, painted green. Google has a satellite view. Trabas has a photo of the original light, a round cast iron tower with lantern. Located at the end of the long breakwater extending from the south side of the island of Trekroner. Site and tower closed. DFL-2750; Admiralty C1986; NGA 4832.

København (Copenhagen) Area Lightships
Note: In addition to the ships listed here, Fyrskib XII is reported sunk at its berth in København. No less than five Danish lightships have been converted to tall sailing ships. Two of them (Motorfyrskib III and Motorfyrskib IV) are listed below. Another, Fyrskib XVIII, is now Den Store Bjørn, a school ship for troubled teenagers.
**** Fyrskib XVII Gedser Rev

1895 (N.F. Hansen, Odense). Decommissioned 1972. 35.5 m (116 ft) wood lightship; the light was displayed from a lantern atop the mainmast. Hull painted red with a white horizontal band; superstructure painted white, lantern red. Dragan Ancevski has a closeup photo, another good photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. Engines were installed in the ship in 1921, and thereafter it served the rest of its career on the Gedser Rev station south of Falster. After it was decommissioned a private foundation purchased the ship for the Danish national museum. It was thoroughly restored at Hvide Sande in 2001-03 and is in excellent condition. Moored at Nyhavn in København. Site open, ship open daily. Owner/site manager: Nationalmuseet. ARLHS DEN-007.

* Motorfyrskib III Donna Wood

1918 (Rasmus Møller Værft, Fåborg). Decommissioned. This 20.4 m (67 ft) oak lightship was converted to a 2-masted tall ship. Vessel painted white with gold trim. The ship is available for charter. When in København, it is docked at Nyhavn.

Motorfyrskib II Vyl (reported currently in Gdansk, Poland)

1916 (Rasmus Møller Værft, Fåborg). Decommissioned 1978. 33.6 m (110 ft) steel lightship; the light was displayed from a lantern atop the mainmast. Hull painted red with a white horizontal band; superstructure painted white, lantern red. Except for an interruption during and shortly after World war II, this ship served from 1930 through 1969 on the Vyl station. It was sold in 1978 to the Dragør sailing club, which restored the vessel and used it as a club headquarters ship. In 1985 it was sold to Arp Hansen, the owner of the Nyhavn Hotel, who operated the ship as a restaurant during the summer months. In the late 1990s it was sold again. In 2006 the ship was towed to Poland. In March 2008, Klempau discovered a photo of the ship at a shipyard in Gdansk. However, the report locally was that the ship was to be returned eventually to Denmark. Site status unknown. Owner: private. ARLHS DEN-234.

* Fyrskib XI Drogden 1878 (F. Sparre, Nysted, Lolland). Decommissioned 1977. 35 m (115 ft) wood lightship; the light was displayed from a lantern atop the mainmast. Hull painted red with a white horizontal band; superstructure painted white, lantern red. A 2007 photo is at right, and Google has a satellite view. Never powered, the ship served from 1919 to 1977 on the Drogden station. In 1977 it was sold to an artist, Bo Bonfils, who built aditional superstructure to serve as a residence and studio. Since then, the ship has been in the hands of several private owners; the current owner, Stig Romain Andresen, bought the ship in 2005. Moored on the Frederiksholm Canal in København and in use as a private residence. Site and vessel closed, but the ship can be viewed from the quay. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS DEN-231. * Fyrskib XIII Læsø Rende (Ark XIII) 1880 (De forende Oplagspladser og Værfter, Christianshavn). 31.5 m (103 ft) wood lightship; the masts have been removed. Hull painted red with a white horizontal band. This ship served the Læsø Rende station from 1916 to 1972. Sold to the justice ministry, it was used for 20 years as a half-way house for prisoners. The mainmast and lantern were sent to the Fiskeri- og Søfartsmuseet in Esbjerg, where, according to Iris Klempau, they are in poor condition. In 1992 it was sold to a private owner, who renamed it Ark XIII and converted it for use as a private residence. It has been moored at several locations but was reported most recently to be near the historic ferry Sjælland. Better information is needed. Site and vessel closed, but the ship can be viewed from the quay. Owner/site manager: private. ARLHS DEN-232.

Fyrskib XI Drogden, August 2007 anonymous Creative Commons photo

Danish Lightship Ten (Fyrskip X)

1877. Decommissioned 1972. 31.5 m (103 ft) wooden lightship with light tower amidships, painted red with white trim and a white horizontal stripe. Richard White has a photo, and Jonathan Reed has a closeup. This sturdy Danish vessel is said to be the world's oldest surviving lightship. During its long career it served many stations around the Danish coastline. Moored near Tower Bridge in London, it was converted into a restaurant in 2005. However, in February 2008 Graham Ewing took a photo of the ship moored at the Sun Pier in Chatham, on the Medway. The ship appeared to be in good condition. On 10 May 2008, the ship was spotted under tow through the Kiel Canal in Germany, on its way back to the Baltic. By July the ship was in København, moored in the Refshaleøen neighborhood. The owner and projected use of the vessel are not known. Site and vessel closed, but the ship can be viewed from the quay. Owner/site manager: private. Formerly ARLHS ENG-316.

* Motorfyrskib IV (light tower)

1918. Decommissioned. This 20.4 m (67 ft) lightship, a sister ship of Motorfyrskib III, has been converted to a tall ship originally named Rana and berthed at Hadsund on the Mariager Fjord in Jylland. More recently, the ship was sold and sailed to Antigua, where it appears as a tourist attraction, a faux pirate ship named the Black Swan. The light tower and lantern were removed and are displayed at the Motorbadsklub. Google has a satellite view. Located off the Kraftværksvej on the east side of downtown København. Site open, tower closed.

Dragør Area Lighthouses

Nordre Røse

1877 (rebuilt in 1893). Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 17 m (56 ft) round tapered granite tower with lantern and gallery, mounted on an elliptical stone pier. The tower is unpainted; lantern painted red. Niels Elgaard Larsen's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a distant view, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This directional light guides ships through the narrow passage between the mainland of Sjælland and the island of Saltholm. Located in the Oresund about 600 m (3/8 mi) northeast of the København airport. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DEN-131; DFL-2920; Admiralty C2042; NGA 4936.

* Dragør Forfyr 1877. Inactive since 1906. 10 m (33 ft) square brick lantern room at one end of a 2-story brick keeper's house; the light was shown through a large square window. The lighthouse is unpainted red brick. Huelse also has a photo. Located on the waterfront on the north side of Dragør, a short distance south of the København airport. Site open, tower closed. * Dragør Bagfyr 1877. Inactive since 1906. Approx. 16 m (52 ft) square 4-stage brick tower; the light was shown through a small square window. The lighthouse is unpainted red brick with rectangular white panels on each side. Lars-Jacob Hove's photo is at right, and Huelse also has a photo. Located on the Stationsvej in downtown Dragør. Site open, tower closed. * Dragør Fort Date unknown. Active; focal plane 6 m (20 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 12 s. 6 m (20 ft) triangular steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted gray. Trabas has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the southeast corner of the historic Dragør fort. Site open, tower closed. DFL-2985; Admiralty C2053; NGA 4992.

Dragør Bagfyr, August 2004 Creative Commons photo by Lars-Jacob Hove

* Drogden

1937 (lightship station established 1838). Active; focal plane 18 m (59 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting three times every 15 s. 20 m (66 ft) square stone tower with lantern and gallery, centered on a 1-story rectangular keeper's cottage and mounted on an elliptical stone pier. The tower is painted with red and white horizontal bands; lantern painted red. Huelse also has a photo. Located in the southern entrance to the Oresund about 5 km (3 mi) southeast of Dragør. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DEN-132; DFL-3025; Admiralty C2060; NGA 4940.

Southern Sjælland Lighthouses

Stevns Klint (1) 1818. Inactive since 1878. Semicircular lantern room attached to one end of a 2-1/2 story masonry keeper's house. House painted white; lantern dome is greenish metallic. A photo is at right, and Huelse has a 2008 photo. The lantern became superfluous after a tall tower was built beside the house in 1878, but the keeper's house remained in use. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DEN-042. Stevns (Stevns Klint) (2) 1878 (station established 1818). Active; focal plane 64 m (210 ft); one long (2 s) white flash every 25 s. 26 m (85 ft) round masonry tower with lantern and gallery; 1° Fresnel lens in use. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is greenish metallic. Mogens Engelund's photo is at the top of this page, Trabas has a photo, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has an excellent 2008 photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Stevns Klint is the tip of a peninsula that pokes eastward into the Baltic Sea from the southeastern coast of Sjælland. The area is now a military base, and access to the light station is closed to the public. Located about 5 km (3 mi) east southeast of Stevns. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DEN-123; DFL-3250; Admiralty C2094; NGA 5080. * Roneklint Forfyr 1894. Inactive. 4 m (13 ft) square wood building; the light is displayed through a small square window. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Anke/Jens have a page for the lighthouse, and Huelse has a closeup photo. The rear lighthouse was replaced by a skeletal tower. These range lights are missing from the 2007 Dansk Fyrliste. Located on the beach at Roneklint, just east of the entrance to the Praestø Fjord. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-139; Admiralty C2122.

1818 Stevns Klint Fyr; RDANH photo

* Ore (2)

1895 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) rectangular tower with a lantern room and gallery on the top floor. Lighthouse painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a good photo, Anke/Jens have a page on the light, Huelse has a historic postcard view in which the tower is painted all white, and Google has a satellite view. This light guides ships eastbound into the harbor of Vordingborg, a town at the southern tip of Sjælland opposite Falster. Located on the Søvej near the Badevej, about 1.5 km (1 mi) west of the Vordingborg waterfront. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-122; DFL-5370; Admiralty C1798; NGA 4296.

Lighthouses of Lolland, Falster, and Møn

Note: Lolland, Falster, and Møn are islands off the south coast of Sjælland, separated from each other and from Sjælland by narrow channels and sounds. The islands face Germany across the Fehmarn Belt and Mecklenburg Bay.

Vejrø and Lolland Lighthouses

Vejrø

1846. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting once every 5 s. 16 m (52 ft) pentagonal cylindrical masonry tower rising from the angle of an L-shaped 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white; the house is white with a red tile roof. Huelse has a good closeup photo by Bernd Claußen, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. Vejrø is an island in the Smålands Farvandet, the shallow sound between Lolland and Sjælland. Located at the northeast point of the island. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. ARLHS DEN-045; DFL-5210; Admiralty C1732; NGA 4216.

* Albuen (4)

1958 (station established 1779). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 4 s on, 4 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome painted red. Trabas has an excellent closeup by Karl-Heinz Wellm, Klaus Huelse has a photo by Kai Thomalla, and Google has a satellite view. This station was established with a post light to guide mail boats. A pair of small range lights was installed in 1884 and then replaced in 1896 by a concrete tower. However, the station stands on a dynamic sandspit, and migration of the spit eventually put the lighthouse in the water; its ruins can be seen in the sound several hundred meters northwest of the present lighthouse. The lighthouse was originally the rear light of a range. Located on a strongly curved spit at the extreme western tip of Lolland, where it marks the southeastern entrance to the Store Bælt. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-133; DFL-3815; Admiralty C1716.1; NGA 4160.

Hyllekrog

1905. Inactive since 1971. 18 m (59 ft) square masonry tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. The tower was formerly attached to a 1-1/2 story masonry keeper's house, but the house has been demolished. Huelse has a good photo and a historic postcard view of the intact station, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. After the light was deactivated, the optics were transferred to the Christiansø lighthouse in Bornholm. Located near the end of a long sand spit attached to the southernmost tip of Lolland, about 9 km (5.5 mi) southeast of Rødbyhavn. Accessible by 4WD or by boat. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-134.

Falster Lighthouses

* Orehoved Bagfyr (2)

1895 (station established 1879). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 11 m (36 ft) semielliptical cylindrical tower with lantern and gallery, painted white. The tower also carries a red triangular daymark. Trabas has a good photo, Huelse has a 2008 photo, Anke/Jens have a page, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse, which replaced a light on a mast, was raised in height by an additional story in 1933. The front light is on a small post. Located at the northwest corner of the quay in Orehoved, in northwest Falster a short distance west of the Storstrøm Bridge from Vordingborg. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-135; DFL-5376; Admiralty C1800.1; NGA 4304.

* Stubbekøbing

Date unknown. Active; focal plane 5 m (16 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) square wood building; the light is displayed through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Trabas has a photo, and Huelse also has a photo. This light guides ships into the harbor of Stubbekøbing, on the south side of the Grønsund opposite Bogø. Located on the west side of the village. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-184; DFL-5650; Admiralty C1856; NGA 4348.

* Grønsund Forfyr

1891. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); white light, intensified on the range line, 1 s on, 1 s off. 13 m (43 ft) hexagonal brick tower; the light is shown through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted white; the tower also carries a triangular red and yellow banded triangular daymark. Trabas has a closeup photo, Anke/Jens have a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The rear light is on a skeletal tower. Located on the Gammel Faergevej east of Grønsund, at the northeastern corner of Falster. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-136; DFL-5704b; Admiralty C2166; NGA 4472.

* Hestehoved

1891. Active; focal plane 14 m (46 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, occulting twice every 6 s. 1-story lantern house attached to a 1-1/2 story keeper's house. Lighthouse painted white with gray roofs. Trabas has an excellent photo, Huelse also has a good photo as well as a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This directional light stands on the easternmost point of Falster and marks the entrance to the Grønsund, the sound separating Falster from Møn. Located about 3 km (2 mi) east of Moseby. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-137; DFL-5860; Admiralty C2152; NGA 4468.

* Gedser Odde

1802. Active; focal plane 26 m (85 ft); three white flashes every 20 s. 20 m (66 ft) hexagonal cylindrical stone tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white, lantern red. 1-1/2 story keeper's house and other light station buildings. Trabas has a good photo, a 2007 photo is available, Anke/Jens have a page for the lighthouse, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a satellite view. This historic lighthouse stands near the southernmost point of Denmark. About 600 m (2000 ft) southeast, at the extreme point of the cape, there is now a very tall cylindrical radar tower that resembles a lighthouse. Located on Gedser Odde, the southern tip of Falster, about 3 km (2 mi) southeast of the town of Gedser. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-010; DFL-5800; Admiralty C2186; NGA 4436.

Gedser Rev

2003. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); two short white flashes followed by one long flash every 15 s. 8 m (26 ft) post light with lantern and gallery, painted red. Klaus Huelse also has a photo. This light replaced a former lightship station. Located on a shoal in the Baltic Sea about 12 km (7.5 mi) southeast of Gedser. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. DFL-5802; Admiralty C2186.5.

Bogø and Møn Lighthouses

* Bogø 1895. Inactive since 1985. 7 m (23 ft) rectangular 2-story concrete building; the light was shown through a large window on the seaward side. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. The light marked the western entrance to the Grønsund, here separating Bogø from Falster. Bogø is a smaller island northeast of Falster and west of Møn. Highway 287 runs the length of the island and continues on a bridge to Møn. Located at the end of the Vesternaesvej near the western tip of the island. Site status unknown, tower closed. Site manager: private. ARLHS DEN-138. * Borgsted 1898. Active; focal plane 3.5 m (11 ft); white, red, or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 2 s off. 4 m (13 ft) square wood building; the light is displayed through a rectangular window. Lighthouse painted white with one red horizontal band. Trabas has a good photo, Huelse also has a photo, and Google has a satellite view. This is a directional light for vessels westbound in the Grønsund. Located just off the Grønsundvej at the southwestern corner of Møn. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-142; DFL-5685; Admiralty C2178; NGA 4480. * Møn 1845. Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); four white flashes, separated by 5 s, every 30 s. 13 m (43 ft) octagonal cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from the seaward side of a 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. The lighthouse is unpainted orange brick; lantern and gallery painted white with a red dome. A photo is at right, Trabas has a good photo, Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the Fyrvej on Møn Klint, the eastern tip of Møn. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-025; DFL-5880; Admiralty C2142; NGA 4508.

Møn Fyr; RDANH photo

* Hellehavns Nakke

1911. Active; focal plane 40 m (131 ft); flash every 5 s, white, red, or green depending on direction. 6 m (20 ft) cast iron tower with lantern, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Trabas has a closeup photo, Huelse also has a photo plus a historic postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the northeastern tip of Møn. According to Anke/Jens, the lighthouse is accessible by a walk of about 500 m (0.3 mi) from Liselund Slot, an 1880s "castle" available for overnight accommodations. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS DEN-141; DFL-5884; Admiralty C2144; NGA 4512.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

• Korsør Forfyr and Bagfyr (1793-1904), Korsør. Klaus Huelse has a postcard view.

Notable faux lighthouses:

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Posted February 1, 2007. Checked and revised March 26, 2009. Lighthouses: 56, lightships: 7. Site copyright 2009 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.