Ancient lighthouse on Wangerooge
The lighthouses on that island have a very eventful history. The oldest light documented at the North Sea coast was situated at the former eastern end of the island. It was built in the years 1597-1602. Its walls had a thickness of 2,2 m and narrowed up to the top. It had several stories lodging, according to the needs, a store for flotsam and jetsam, a prison, an ice cellar, a church and, of course, the living-room of the attendant.
On the top, since 1624 the tower had 48 glass windows, lamps fired with train oil or rape oil spread a very dim light. The top of the tower burned down and in 1630, the history of the tower ends. Since the February flood of 1854, the tower was standing in the water and was blown up in 1914 to prevent that it might be a visible day navigation aid for the ships of the enemies. 1932-33, 800 m southwards of that place they constructed a new tower according to the plans of the original tower. That western tower now serves as a youth hostel.
After that, several lights were built and destroyed by fire or flood, before in 1830 the first “real” lighthouse was built with a height of 36 m. But that tower also was destroyed in 1854 and collapsed five years later. In October 1856, in the eastern dunes of the island the still existing 30 m high „Alte Turm“ (old tower) was built, which soon, in 1896, received an electric arc lamp to secure the entrance into the Jade and outer Weser. 1925-27, the tower was raised up to 39 m and its light was in operation until 1969.
Now, it lodges the island museum (see museums) and in the top of the tower, pairs can marry in a registry office. The new lighthouse was constructed in 1966/67 made of Ferro-concrete and is filled with technique operating since 1969. The light in a height of 60 m leads the great tanks into the entrance of the fairways of the Jade. A secondary light leads the ship traffic as a warning and orientation fire to the west and to the south through the shallows of the mudflats.
Address
Zedelius-Str. 3
26486 Wangerooge
Tel 0 44 69 / 83 24
E-Mail
inselmuseum@wangerooge.de
Internet
www.wangerooge.de
