Kõpu tuletorn
The Kõpu tuletorn ( Estonian tuletorn : dt lighthouse ) is one of the most famous landmarks and tourist destinations on the Estonian island of Hiiumaa . It is the third oldest lighthouse in the world that is still in operation today. Its older Swedish name is: Övre Dagerort fyr . Its light can be seen from up to 35 nautical miles (65 km) away.
Height and shape
The lighthouse of the Kõpu peninsula was built on the highest elevation of Hiiumaa at 67 meters. It is 36 m high, the beacon shines 102.6 m above sea level , making it one of the highest in the Baltic Sea . The lighthouse shaft has a square floor plan and massive side retaining walls that point in the cardinal points.
history
The construction of the lighthouse was requested as early as 1490 by representatives of the Hanseatic League , whose endeavor was to reduce the number of ship losses on the Hiiu sandbank ( Neckmansgrund ) and to keep the ships away from the coast, where they were endangered by pirates . The Bishop of Ösel-Wieck , to whose rule Hiiumaa belonged, gave the Tallinn City Council permission to do so in 1500.
Construction began in 1505 and, with interruptions, lasted 26 years. In 1531 the lighthouse was put into operation. In 1659 the lighthouse was expanded to its present height.
From 1805 the lighthouse was under Russian administration, which carried out extensive renovation measures. A stone staircase was built into the southern tower support and two lounges and storage rooms were set up. The lamp and the optical equipment were given a wooden panel with smoke outlets in 1845. In 1869 the column that contained the staircase was roofed with wood.
The lighthouse was bombed by German planes in 1941, which only destroyed the beacon and the optical equipment.
At the beginning of 1970 and again in 1979–1981, the outer walls of the tower had to be repaired several times due to ongoing decay. In 1989/1990 it was provided with a reinforced concrete cladding that reinforced the walls and base supports.
The Kõpu tuletorn is now open to the public and thus serves not only as a navigation aid but also as a lookout tower over the Kõpu peninsula.
Web links
swell
- Kõpu Lighthouse (English)
Coordinates: 58 ° 54 ′ 57 ″ N , 22 ° 11 ′ 59 ″ E