Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse (Danish: Rubjerg Knude Fyr) is on the coast of the North Sea in Rubjerg, in the Jutland municipality of Hjørring in northern Denmark. It was first lit on 27 December 1900.[2] Construction of the lighthouse began in 1899.
 The lighthouse in 2004 | |
| Location | Rubjerg, Hjørring Municipality, Denmark |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57°26′56″N 9°46′28″E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1900 |
| Construction | masonry tower |
| Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
| Shape | square tower with balcony and lantern |
| Markings | white tower, red lantern |
| Operator | Vendsyssel Historiske Museum[1] |
| Light | |
| Deactivated | 1968 |
| Focal height | 90 m (300 ft)  |
| Characteristic | Fl(1+2) W 30s |
Description and history
The lighthouse is on the top of Lønstrup Klint (cliff), 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. Until 1908 it operated on gas which it produced from a gasworks on the site.[3]
Shifting sands and coastal erosion are a serious problem in the area. The coast is eroded on average 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) a year, which can be seen most clearly at the nearby Mårup Church.[2] Built around 1250, the church was originally 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the coast,[4] but was dismantled in 2008 to prevent its falling into the sea.
The lighthouse ceased operating on 1 August 1968.[3][5] For a number of years, the buildings were used as a museum and coffee shop, but continually shifting sands caused them to be abandoned in 2002.[3] By 2009, the small buildings were severely damaged by the pressure of the sand[5] and were later removed.
It was expected that the tower would fall into the sea by 2023; however, works to relocate the lighthouse started on 14 August 2019,[6] and on 22 October 2019 the 23 metres (75 ft) high lighthouse, weighing 720 tonnes, was moved 70 m (230 ft) inland on specially built rails. The cost of the move was 5 million Danish kroner (£0.6 million; €0.7 million; $0.75 million) and was paid by Hjørring Council with government funding. The move is expected to secure the future of the lighthouse at least until around 2060.[7][8]
Gallery
The lighthouse in 1912
Lighthouse being encroached by the sand dunes
The lighthouse in 2018
References
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Denmark: West Coast". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- Rubjerg Knude området, Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, Miljøministeriet Naturstyrelsen Vendsyssel (in Danish)
- Description of lighthouse Archived 2 March 2005 at the Wayback Machine Danish Museums Online. Retrieved 6 September 2011
- Mårup Church's history Archived 31 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, Hjørring, Denmark. Retrieved 8 September 2011
- Description of lighthouse Archived 9 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine Lighthouse Duo. Retrieved 6 September 2011
- Graham, Adam H. (31 December 2012). "The world's most mysterious buildings". cnn.com. CNN. Archived from the original on 1 January 2013. Retrieved 31 December 2012.
- "LIVE-TV Rubjerg Knude Fyr lander". DR (in Danish). Retrieved 22 October 2019.
- "Lighthouse saved from falling into sea with skates". BBC News online. 22 October 2019. Retrieved 22 October 2019.
External links
- Rubjerg Knude Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, Hjørring, Denmark
- Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database