Name and Location

The Keldsnor Fyr, also known as the Keldsnor Lighthouse, is located in Rathvej 8C, Bagenkop, Langeland Municipality, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark. Its official coordinates are 54°43′51″ N, 10°43′16″ E (decimal 54.731085, 10.7213991), and can be found on Google Maps at https://www.google.com/maps?q=54.731085,10.7213991.

2. Construction and History

The Keldsnor Fyr was commissioned in 1905 as part of a wave of modernization of Danish coastal lights in the early 20th century. Its purpose was to improve safe passage for local fishing vessels and larger commercial traffic transiting between the Baltic Sea and the Little Belt. Although no major wrecks are directly attributed to its absence, its establishment filled a critical gap in the chain of lights around southern Funen and Langeland.

3. Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse is an early 20th-century functionalist design, typical of Danish man-made aids to navigation of the era. It features a cylindrical, riveted cast-iron tower mounted on a concrete foundation, with a height of 34 meters. The exterior is painted white, with an original lantern room and gallery deck. The structure was constructed using cast iron (tower), concrete (base), steel, and glass (lantern).

4. Light and Navigation

The Keldsnor Fyr's focal height is approximately 34 meters above mean sea level. Its light range is speculative, but typical for lighthouses of this height on similar Danish coasts, estimated to be around 17 nautical miles. The characteristic of the light is unknown, possibly a flashing white light every 10 or 15 seconds.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The site can be reached by road (Rathvej) and a short coastal walk. However, the tower itself is not generally open to the public. Visitors can access the surrounding grounds for exterior viewing. There are no on-site facilities, but nearby services can be found in Bagenkop.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features low, gently rolling farmland leading to sandy beaches and reeds. From the base of the lighthouse, visitors can enjoy a panoramic view over Langelandsbælt toward Tåsinge Island to the north and southern Funen in the distance.

7. Heritage Status

The Keldsnor Fyr is recognized as a noteworthy early 20th-century cast-iron lighthouse but is not listed as a protected historic building under the Danish Ministry of Culture registry.

8. Technical and Operational Details

Originally manned by a keeper and assistants, the lighthouse was automated at an unknown date (likely in the 1970s or 1980s). It remains an active aid to navigation, with no public AIS or radar co-location documented. The current management is handled by the Danish Maritime Authority (Søfartsstyrelsen).