Heligoland lighthouse
Encyclopedia
Heligoland lighthouse is located on Germany's only offshore island, Heligoland
. Constructed during World War II
as an anti-aircraft tower
, it was turned into a lighthouse in 1952. It features the strongest light on the German North Sea coast with a range of 28 nautical miles (51.9 km) so that it can be seen as far as on the East Frisian
or the North Frisian islands
and Halligen. The lighthouse is operated by the Tönning
water and shipping authority.
. The so-called "English lighthouse" (englischer Leuchtturm) reached a maximum height of 67 metres (219.8 ft) above mean sea level. It constituted an important aid to navigation in the German Bight
because its light was visible roughly twice as far as that of Cuxhaven lighthouse which had been established a few years before. The English lighthouse was torn down soon after the inauguration of a new building in 1902. The lantern and optics of the English lighthouse were moved to Fehmarn
island in the Baltic Sea where they were mounted at Staberhuk lighthouse and are still in use today.
The construction of the new lighthouse had been ordered by the Prussia
n administration in 1902. This lighthouse was in service from 1902 until its destruction due to the war in 1945. It was constructed as a round brick tower from the same plans as Cape Arkona light on Rügen
in the Baltic Sea. During a bombing raid on Heligoland on 18 April 1945 by the Royal Air Force
this lighthouse was destroyed and the keeper was killed.
In 1941 a square-shaped anti-aircraft tower made of heavily reinforced concrete
had been built on Heligoland. It was the only building to survive the detonation of 6,700 tonnes of explosives by the Royal Navy
on the island on 18 April 1947 which was meant to destroy the military facilities and bunkers inside the rock of the island. In 1952 this tower was modified to serve as a makeshift lighthouse. The current shape with a brick veneer was formed in a 1965 renovation. Later a radar sensor, Marine and mobile radio telephony
devices and an electric beacon
were added on top of the lantern house.
The English lighthouse of 1811 was equipped with Argand lamp
s and reflectors.
The optics of the current lighthouse were modernised in 1963. The device is made up of three converging lenses
in two planes which are mounted with an angular separation of 120° on an electric rotator. These lenses have a focus of 250 millimetres (9.8 in) and are lit by a 2,000 Watt
s xenon arc lamp
. With a light intensity of 35 million candela
Heligoland is the strongest light along the German North Sea coast. Since 1982 the smaller lighthouse on the Düne island off the main island of Heligoland is remotely operated from Heligoland lighthouse.
The Wilhelmshaven
water and shipping authority uses Heligoland lighthouse as a relay radio station to regulate ship traffic in the eastern German Bight.
Heligoland
Heligoland is a small German archipelago in the North Sea.Formerly Danish and British possessions, the islands are located in the Heligoland Bight in the south-eastern corner of the North Sea...
. Constructed during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as an anti-aircraft tower
Anti-aircraft warfare
NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...
, it was turned into a lighthouse in 1952. It features the strongest light on the German North Sea coast with a range of 28 nautical miles (51.9 km) so that it can be seen as far as on the East Frisian
East Frisian Islands
The East Frisian Islands are a chain of islands in the North Sea, off the coast of East Frisia in Lower Saxony, Germany. The islands extend for some from west to east between the mouths of the Ems and Jade / Weser rivers and lie about 3.5 to 10 km offshore...
or the North Frisian islands
North Frisian Islands
The North Frisian Islands are a group of islands in the Wadden Sea, a part of the North Sea, off the western coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The German islands are in the traditional region of North Frisia and are part of the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park and the Kreis of...
and Halligen. The lighthouse is operated by the Tönning
Tönning
Tönning is a town in the district of Nordfriesland in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein. During the Great Northern War, Tönning was besieged twice.-Geography:...
water and shipping authority.
History
Already in 1811 when Heligoland was under British rule, the first lighthouse on Heligoland had been built by Trinity HouseTrinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
. The so-called "English lighthouse" (englischer Leuchtturm) reached a maximum height of 67 metres (219.8 ft) above mean sea level. It constituted an important aid to navigation in the German Bight
German Bight
German Bight is the southeastern bight of the North Sea bounded by the Netherlands and Germany to the south, and Denmark and Germany to the east . To the north and west it is limited by the Dogger Bank. The Bight contains the Frisian and Danish Islands. The Wadden Sea is approximately ten to...
because its light was visible roughly twice as far as that of Cuxhaven lighthouse which had been established a few years before. The English lighthouse was torn down soon after the inauguration of a new building in 1902. The lantern and optics of the English lighthouse were moved to Fehmarn
Fehmarn
Fehmarn is an island and - since 2003 - a town on this island in the Baltic Sea, off the eastern coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, and ca. 18 kilometers south of the Danish island of Lolland...
island in the Baltic Sea where they were mounted at Staberhuk lighthouse and are still in use today.
The construction of the new lighthouse had been ordered by the Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n administration in 1902. This lighthouse was in service from 1902 until its destruction due to the war in 1945. It was constructed as a round brick tower from the same plans as Cape Arkona light on Rügen
Rügen
Rügen is Germany's largest island. Located in the Baltic Sea, it is part of the Vorpommern-Rügen district of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.- Geography :Rügen is located off the north-eastern coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea...
in the Baltic Sea. During a bombing raid on Heligoland on 18 April 1945 by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
this lighthouse was destroyed and the keeper was killed.
In 1941 a square-shaped anti-aircraft tower made of heavily reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete
Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...
had been built on Heligoland. It was the only building to survive the detonation of 6,700 tonnes of explosives by the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
on the island on 18 April 1947 which was meant to destroy the military facilities and bunkers inside the rock of the island. In 1952 this tower was modified to serve as a makeshift lighthouse. The current shape with a brick veneer was formed in a 1965 renovation. Later a radar sensor, Marine and mobile radio telephony
Marine and mobile radio telephony
The Marine Radiotelephone Service or HF ship-to-shore operates on shortwave radio frequencies, using single-sideband modulation. The usual method is that a ship calls a shore station, and the shore station's marine operator connects the caller to the public switched telephone network...
devices and an electric beacon
Electric beacon
Electric beacons are a kind of beacon used with direction finding equipment to find ones relative bearing to a known location .The term electric beacon includes radio, infrared and sonar beacons.- Radio beacons :...
were added on top of the lantern house.
Optics and characteristic
The light characteristic of the current Heligoland lighthouse is one flash every 5 seconds (FL 5s). The range is quoted with 28 nautical miles and is comparably high for the lighthouses of the German North Sea coast.The English lighthouse of 1811 was equipped with Argand lamp
Argand lamp
The Argand lamp is home lighting oil lamp producing a light output of 6 to 10 candlepower which was invented and patented in 1780 by Aimé Argand...
s and reflectors.
The optics of the current lighthouse were modernised in 1963. The device is made up of three converging lenses
Lens (optics)
A lens is an optical device with perfect or approximate axial symmetry which transmits and refracts light, converging or diverging the beam. A simple lens consists of a single optical element...
in two planes which are mounted with an angular separation of 120° on an electric rotator. These lenses have a focus of 250 millimetres (9.8 in) and are lit by a 2,000 Watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s xenon arc lamp
Xenon arc lamp
A xenon arc lamp is a specialized type of gas discharge lamp, an electric light that produces light by passing electricity through ionized xenon gas at high pressure to produce a bright white light that closely mimics natural sunlight...
. With a light intensity of 35 million candela
Candela
The candela is the SI base unit of luminous intensity; that is, power emitted by a light source in a particular direction, weighted by the luminosity function . A common candle emits light with a luminous intensity of roughly one candela...
Heligoland is the strongest light along the German North Sea coast. Since 1982 the smaller lighthouse on the Düne island off the main island of Heligoland is remotely operated from Heligoland lighthouse.
The Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven
Wilhelmshaven is a coastal town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western side of the Jade Bight, a bay of the North Sea.-History:...
water and shipping authority uses Heligoland lighthouse as a relay radio station to regulate ship traffic in the eastern German Bight.