Brandaris
The Brandaris is a lighthouse on Terschelling . It is the oldest lighthouse in the Netherlands . The name is based on St. Brandarius, a saint after whom the community of West-Terschelling was named in the Middle Ages. According to other legends, the name goes back to Saint Brendan , a sailor, but this has not been proven. The first tower was built in 1323 to guide ships on their way to Amsterdam through the Zuiderzee , the narrow opening between Vlieland and Terschelling.
A good position marker was necessary because many islands in the North Sea look very similar. The sea flooded Terschelling and the first lighthouse around 1570, the tower was completely destroyed. Construction of a new tower began in 1592, but it collapsed before it was finished because poor building materials had been used. The current tower dates from 1594. In 1837 the tower was the first lighthouse in the Netherlands to be fitted with a rotating Fresnel lens . The electrification took place in 1907. In 1994 the 400th anniversary of the tower was celebrated. The light of the tower is now controlled fully automatically.
description
| construction time | 1593-1594 |
| Tower height | 54 meters |
| Height of the omnidirectional light | 55.5 meters |
| Range of light | 52 kilometers |
| Light intensity | 3,500,000 candelas |
| material | Yellow stone |
| Listed as a historical monument | Yes, since 1965 |
| radar | Yes, since 1979 |
| Manned | Around the clock |
This is the oldest surviving tower that was built as a lighthouse. In 1907 it was the first lighthouse in the Netherlands to receive electric lighting. Brandaris is specially equipped to prevent birds from flying into the tower.
Web links
- Brandaris Terschelling Lighthouse In: terschelling.org
- Technical information about the lighthouse In: lighthousedigest.com (English)
Coordinates: 53 ° 21 ′ 37 " N , 5 ° 12 ′ 51" E