Festung Helgoland, Helgoland

Heligoland lighthouse is located on Germany's only offshore island, Heligoland. Constructed during World War II as an anti-aircraft tower, it was turned into a lighthouse in 1952. It features the strongest light on the German North Sea coast with a range of 28nmi so that it can be seen as far as on the East Frisian or the North Frisian islands and Halligen. The lighthouse is operated by the Tönning water and shipping authority.HistoryThe first lighthouse on Heligoland was built by Trinity House in 1811, when Heligoland was under British rule. The so-called "English lighthouse" (englischer Leuchtturm) was 67m above mean sea level. It constituted an important aid to navigation in the German Bight because its light was visible roughly twice as far as that of Cuxhaven Lighthouse, which had been established a few years before. The English lighthouse was torn down soon after the inauguration of a new building in 1902. The lantern and optics of the English lighthouse were moved to Fehmarn island in the Baltic Sea where they were mounted at Staberhuk lighthouse and are still in use today.The construction of the new lighthouse was ordered by the Prussian administration in 1902. This lighthouse was in service from 1902 until its war-time destruction in 1945. It was built as a round brick tower from the same plans as the Cape Arkona light on Rügen in the Baltic Sea. During a bombing raid on Heligoland on 18 April 1945 by the Royal Air Force this lighthouse was destroyed and the keeper was killed. To visit Festung Helgoland on your holiday in Helgoland, and find out what else Helgoland has to offer, use our Helgoland.