Name and Location

Omø Fyr, also known as Omø Lighthouse, is a coastal lighthouse located near the town of Skælskør in Slagelse Municipality, Region Zealand, Denmark. The address is Fyrvej 72, 4245 Skælskør, Denmark.

Construction and History

Omø Fyr was first lit in 1894 to guide vessels through the Great Belt off the southwest coast of Zealand. It remains a distinctive maritime landmark over a century after its inauguration. The original purpose of the lighthouse was to mark a shallow shoal and channel near Omø Island.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a free-standing, cylindrical masonry tower with a height of 22 meters above its base. The exterior finish is unpainted masonry with a lantern and gallery. The foundation is made of masonry (brick or stone), while the metal lantern housing is likely to be made of steel.

Light and Navigation

The light characteristic, range, and optics are not documented in accessible sources. It is presumed that the lighthouse operates on LED or halogen optics. As an aid to navigation, Omø Fyr serves as a beacon for mariners navigating the Great Belt area.

Accessibility and Visiting

The grounds around the lighthouse are on private or restricted property; therefore, the tower interior is not open to the public. Visitors can access the lighthouse by walking from the nearby parking area along the local road "Fyrvej" off the main Skælskør-Klarskov ferry route.

Notable Views and Landscape

Omø Fyr offers unimpeded views of the shipping lanes, the southern tip of Omø Island, and the open waters toward Funen. The immediate landscape is characterized by grassy dunes and scattered scrub, with walking paths that local anglers and birdwatchers occasionally use.

Anecdotes and Folklore

While no specific folklore is recorded for Omø Fyr, the lighthouse's keepers in the early 20th century are said to have maintained vegetable gardens on-site and rowed to Omø Island to trade produce. Oral histories collected by local museums mention harsh winters when ice floes from the Great Belt nearly cut off the lighthouse from the mainland.

Technical and Operational Details

Omø Fyr is an active aid to navigation, fully automated since the mid-20th century. The Danish Coastal Authority (Kystdirektoratet) likely manages the lighthouse. The lighthouse appears on Danish Hydrographic Office charts for the Great Belt area (chart number to be confirmed by mariner). No dedicated radar site is reported.

Further Information

For further reading, please refer to OpenStreetMap entry https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/196116215, Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q41782955, Danish Coastal Authority (Kystdirektoratet) – official list of navigational aids, and local maritime history publications (e.g. "Skælskør and the Great Belt" by the Slagelse Museum).