Bülk Lighthouse

Bülk Lighthouse (German: Leuchtturm Bülk) is on the westernmost headland of the Kieler Förde on the Baltic Sea coast of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. It is the oldest lighthouse on the Kieler Förde and serves as a guiding light to the entrance into the fjord. A red light sector warns of the Stollergrund shoal.[2] It is a popular attraction for visitors.

Bülk Lighthouse
Leuchtturm Bülk, 2021
LocationKieler Förde, Germany
Coordinates54°27′18.9″N 10°11′50.3″E
Tower
Constructed1807 (first)
Constructionbrick tower
Automated1970
Height25.6 metres (84 ft)
Shapecylindrical tower with balcony and lantern
Markingswhite tower with a horizontal black band
OperatorLeuchttürm Bülk[1]
Light
First lit1865
Focal height29 metres (95 ft)
LensFresnel lens
Range14 nautical miles (26 km; 16 mi)
CharacteristicFl WR 3s.

History

In 1807 the Danish authorities had already established a lighthouse and pilot station on the Bülker Huk headland. The tower featured six Argand lamps with curved mirrors but didn’t become operational until 1815 owing to the Napoleonic Wars.[3] In 1843 this tower was destroyed by lightning[4] and replaced by a tower with a rotating lens.[3]

The construction of the current tower was begun in 1862 by the Danes but owing to the Second Schleswig War it was not completed until 1865, by Prussia. The tower used to be white with a red band and had a Fresnel lens.[3]

However, shortly after the lighting was installed the Bülk Lighthouse was no longer sufficient to secure shipping in the Kieler Förde and a lightvessel was moored in the entrance to the fjord.[5]

In 1910 the Fresnel lens was replaced by a set of four spotlights.[3] The original lens was later sold to private owners[6] Until 1969 the lighthouse served as a direction light. It was rebuilt as a guiding light from 1969 to 1970 and again a Fresnel lens was installed.[3] The tower was covered in an asbestos cement casing, received a black band and was shortened by 2 m. Since then it has been open to the public, managed by a tenant.

Since the last construction works there have been no lighthouse keepers at Bülk. Previously there used to be three keepers, who worked in shifts and had their families living with them on the site.[7]

Technical facts

The Bülk Lighthouse is 25.6 m tall. The lower platform, which is open to visitors, is at a height of 22 m. Since 1999 the Fresnel optic has been lit by a 120-V high-voltage halogen lamp with a power of 600 Watt. The characteristic is one flash every three seconds, with a range of 16 nautical miles for white light.[2]

See also

References
  1. Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Germany: Flensburg to Lübeck". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  2. "Leuchtturm Bülk" (in German). Lübeck Water and Shipping Office. Archived from the original on 20 April 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  3. "Bülk". Deutsche Leuchtfeuer (in German). Manfred Schüler. Archived from the original on 31 July 2010.
  4. "Strande, ein gewachsener Ort" (in German). Strande municipality. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  5. "Leuchttürme und Feuerschiffe an der Kieler Förde: Feuerschiff Bülk und..." Hannelore Pieper-Wöhlk, Dieter Wöhlk. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
  6. cf. Rowlett
  7. "Geschichte". Leuchtturm Bülk (in German). Petra Jarray, Bülker Leuchtturm. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2010.
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