Świnoujście Lighthouse

Świnoujście Lighthouse stands in the Warszów district and, according to the Wikipedia entry, is the tallest on the Polish Baltic coast and the tallest brick lighthouse in the world. It has 308 steps leading up. The tower is 67.7 m high, and the light is at 65 m above sea level.

Construction and rebuilding of the tower

The first lighthouse in Świnoujście was built in 1805 on the head of the breakwater and was made of planks and mirrors. In 1828 it was replaced with a steel one. Construction of the present one began in 1854, took less than three years, and the lighthouse was put into service on 1 December 1857. Until 1902 the tower had the shape of an octagon of yellow brick from the lower gallery upwards. In 1902-1903, after bricks had been lost, the cladding was removed and a new casing of clinker brick was built, and the tower became round; in that form it has survived to this day.

War and renovations

On 12 March 1945 bombs exploding nearby caused cracks in the body of the tower, which was reinforced only in 1959. The renovation of the whole structure lasted from November 1998 to spring 2000. The lighthouse was opened to visitors on 5 August 2000. From 1958 it also served as a radio beacon, switched off in 1999.

How it is built

The complex consists of the tower and two two-storey buildings of red brick, which adjoin it to the north and south; formerly the lighthouse keepers lived in them with their families. A first-order Fresnel lens operates in the lantern. The light is sectored and intermittent, with a period of 5 s, and its range is 25 nautical miles (white light) and 9 nautical miles (red). We give the range and characteristics after the Wikipedia entry.

Practical information

• Address: Bunkrowa Street, Świnoujście (Warszów district). The lighthouse is administered by the Maritime Office in Szczecin.
• Visiting: according to the entry, the lighthouse has been open since 2000. The hours and rules for entering the tower are given by the manager, so check them before your visit.
• Heritage register: the building is entered in the heritage register, and the register's dating is 1854-1857.
• Nearby: the Coastal Defence Museum, Gerhard Fort and Świnoujście Fortress.