Skagen's White Lighthouse
Skagen's White Lighthouse (Danish: Det Hvide Fyr i Skagen) is a historic lighthouse just north of the town of Skagen in the far north of Jutland, Denmark. It was operational from 1747 to 1858 when it was replaced by Skagen Lighthouse.[1][2]
 Skagen's White Lighthouse from 1747 | |
| Location | Skagen, Frederikshavn Municipality, Denmark |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 57.729057°N 10.606825°E |
| Tower | |
| Constructed | 1747 |
| Construction | brick tower |
| Height | 21 metres (69 ft) |
| Shape | octagonal prism with balcony, lantern removed |
| Markings | white tower, black balcony |
| Heritage | monument on Kulturstyrelsen register  |
| Light | |
| Deactivated | 1858 |
| Focal height | 31 m (102 ft) |
| Range | 17 nmi (31 km; 20 mi) (white), 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) (red) |
| Characteristic | Fl(3) WR 10s |
History
Designed by Philip de Lange, it was the first lighthouse in Denmark to be built of brick. The octagonal tower, initially in raw red brick, was whitewashed at the beginning of the 19th century. With a height of 21 m (69 ft), it is located at the junction of Fyrvej and Batterivej. The lighthouse was originally coal fired, the coal being hauled up through an internal shaft and placed in a fire basket. In 1835, rapeseed oil replaced the coal and the lighthouse was fitted with a parabolic mirror. In 1858, the White Lighthouse was replaced by the Grey Lighthouse which was located 2 km further north on Skagen Odde. From 1871, the White Lighthouse was used as a signaling station to warn sailors of ice or of missing lightships.[1][2]
Exhibition venue
The White Lighthouse is now used as a venue for exhibitions. It can be booked from Frederikshavn Municipality.[3]
References
- "Det Hvide Fyr i Skagen". Den Store Danske (in Danish). Retrieved 9 November 2013..
- Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Denmark: Northeast Jylland". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- "Lej Det Hvide Fyr i Skagen til udstilling". Frederikshavn Kommune (in Danish). Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
Further reading
- Lønstrup, Jørn; Nielsen, Ingrid; Egnsmuseum, Skagen By- og (1997). Skagen - fyr og flamme: Det hvide Fyr og dets forgængere (in Danish). Skagen By- og Egnsmuseum. ISBN 978-87-88940-10-7.
