Name and Location

Sletterhage Fyr, also known locally as "Helgenæs Fyr", is a late-19th-century brick lighthouse located on the eastern tip of the Helgenæs peninsula, marking the northern entrance to Aarhus Bay in Denmark. Its official address is Sletterhagevej 58, 8420 Knebel, Syddjurs Municipality, Central Denmark Region.

Construction and History

The lighthouse was built and first lit in 1894 under the auspices of the Danish Lighthouse Authority ("Fyrvæsenet"). It was automated and de-staffed in the mid-20th century, and decommissioned as a manned navigational aid in the early 2000s. The lighthouse was opened as a maritime museum in the early 2000s.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a cylindrical red-brick structure with a white lantern and balcony. It stands 16 meters tall and is constructed from locally produced brick, cast-iron lantern room, and steel gallery railing. The architectural style is typical of late-19th-century lighthouse design characteristic of the Danish Fyrvæsenet.

Light and Navigation

The original lamp was a kerosene-fed Fresnel lens apparatus with a focal plane height of approximately 18–20 meters above mean sea level. The range was historically around 15 nautical miles. The characteristic light was a white flash, although the exact modern light characteristic is discontinued since it ceased to be manned.

Accessibility and Visiting

The museum operates from April to October on public holidays and weekdays from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission fees apply, with discounts for children, seniors, and groups. The main museum spaces are wheelchair-accessible, but the tower interior can only be reached by steep stairs (no lift). Visitors can enjoy a small café, gift shop, interpretive panels, and guided-tour bookings on request.

Notable Views and Landscape

Visitors can take in panoramic views of Kattegat, Aarhus Bay, and neighboring peninsulas from the lighthouse. The surrounding rocky shoreline is popular for fossil hunting and coastal geology study (a geological nature reserve).

Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local legend, a phantom light has been seen off Helgenæs on foggy nights, sometimes attributed to former keepers lighting lanterns on shore. Several small shipwrecks lie just offshore; dive clubs occasionally discover 19th-century cargo remnants.

Technical and Operational Details

No information available.

Further Information

For further reading, consult the Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces and the Syddjurs municipal heritage office._