Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse
![]() The lighthouse in 2004 | |
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Location | Rubjerg, Hjørring Municipality, Denmark |
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Coordinates | 57°26′56″N 9°46′28″E / 57.448903°N 9.77433657°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 ![]() |
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.
Description and history
[edit]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.
In 2016, the lighthouse was rejuvenated with the installation of a new stair and an internal kaleidoscopic light display. [6]
It was expected that the tower would fall into the sea by 2023; however, works to relocate the lighthouse started on 14 August 2019,[7] 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.[8][9]
Gallery
[edit]-
The lighthouse in 1912
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Lighthouse being encroached by the sand dunes
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The lighthouse in 2018
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Denmark: West Coast". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 16 January 2016.
- ^ a b Rubjerg Knude området, Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, Miljøministeriet Naturstyrelsen Vendsyssel (in Danish)
- ^ a b c 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
- ^ a b Description of lighthouse Archived 9 January 2006 at the Wayback Machine Lighthouse Duo. Retrieved 6 September 2011
- ^ https://jaja.archi/project/rubjerg-knude-fyr/
- ^ 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
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Rubjerg Knude Vendsyssel Historiske Museum, Hjørring, Denmark
- Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse in Lighthouse Digest's Lighthouse Explorer Database