Hirtshals Fyr
Hirtshals Fyr, Fyret 2, 9850 Hirtshals, Denmark
Name and Location
Hirtshals Lighthouse (Danish: Hirtshals Fyr) stands tall at 35 meters above the rocky headland at the entrance to Hirtshals harbor. Its official address is Fyret 2, 9850 Hirtshals, Denmark, with coordinates 57°35′05″ N, 9°56′31″ E.
Construction and History
The lighthouse was first lit in 1863 to guide vessels into the busy ferry and fishing port of Hirtshals. It has remained an active aid to navigation since its inauguration. The tower has been recorded as "historic" in OpenStreetMap ("historic=yes").
Architecture and Materials
The 35-meter-tall cylindrical tower is painted white, with a gallery and lantern room. Construction era and style are mid-19th-century Danish lighthouse tradition.
Light and Navigation
The light characteristic is fixed-flashing white, with a period of 30 seconds. The Admiralty/National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) reference is B 2106. Nautical chart references can be found on Danish charts for the Hirtshals approach. The light is now fully automated.
Accessibility and Visiting
The exterior and base area are open to the public year-round. Tower interior visits, if available, are usually organized by the local tourism office (advance booking recommended). Visitors can reach the lighthouse by a short walk from Hirtshals town center along the coastal path; free parking is available nearby.
Notable Views and Landscape
The lighthouse crowns a small promontory overlooking the North Sea and the busy ferry lanes to Norway. Panoramic views include the town of Hirtshals, the harbor mouth, and on clear days, vessels bound for Kristiansand or Bergen.
Anecdotes and Folklore
There are no major shipwrecks directly associated with the tower, thanks in part to its guiding light. Former keepers' quarters (now closed to the public) once housed lighthouse families until automation.
Technical and Operational Details
The exact focal height, range in nautical miles, original architect, and construction materials are not documented in the available sources.
Further Information
- For more information, visit OpenStreetMap relation way/141796728
- Denish Coastal Authority – Light List ("B 2106")
- Danish Wikipedia (https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hirtshals_Fyr)
- Wikidata entry (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q12316822)
- Google Maps (https://www.google.com/maps/place/57.5847361,9.9419011)
Details
| Name | Hirtshals Fyr |
|---|---|
| City | Hirtshals |
| Country | Denmark |
| Coordinates | 57.5847361, 9.9419011 |
| Year of construction | 1863 |
| Historic significance | Recorded as ‘historic’ in OpenStreetMap |
| Stories | No major shipwrecks are directly associated with the tower, thanks in part to its guiding light. |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th-century Danish lighthouse tradition |
| Tower height | 35 |
| Access description | A short walk from Hirtshals town center along the coastal path; free parking is available nearby. |
| Accessible | true |
| Parking | true |
| Landscape type | Rocky coast |
| View description | The lighthouse crowns a small promontory overlooking the North Sea and the busy ferry lanes to Norway. |
| Guided tours | true |
| Facilities | Benches and picnic spots around the light station; no café or restrooms on site. |
| Nearby attractions | North Sea Oceanarium (marine aquarium, 1 km south); Hirtshals Bunker Museum (Cold War coastal defenses) |
| AIS Radar | false |
| Light characteristic | Fixed-Flashing white, period 30 s |
| Automated | true |