Name and Location

The Alter Leuchtturm Hollerwettern is a historic lighthouse located in Wewelsfleth, Landkreis Steinburg, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Its coordinates are 53°50′27.61″ N, 9°21′9.94″ E.

Construction and History

The Alter Leuchtturm Hollerwettern was constructed in 1911 as part of the river's navigation aid system. Originally a staffed lighthouse, it served as a leading light marking safe passage along the Elbe estuary into Hamburg. The exact date of decommissioning is unknown but likely occurred in the mid-20th century when modern electronic aids replaced small river lighthouses.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a slender, tapering cylindrical shaft with a lantern room atop. It is likely constructed from brick or cast-iron plates on a masonry foundation and features an exterior finish of painted white with contrasting bands or fenestration.

Light and Navigation

As a decommissioned lighthouse, the Alter Leuchtturm Hollerwettern no longer serves as a navigation aid. Its original light has been extinguished, and it is not equipped with active lights, AIS, or radar installations.

Accessibility and Visiting

The lighthouse is private property and does not allow public entry. The best external view can be obtained from the footpath along Hollerwettern (county road K41), which runs parallel to the Elbe dike. Visitors can access the area by car or bike via Wewelsfleth, with limited parking near the dike footpath.

Notable Views and Landscape

The surrounding landscape features marshland ecology of the Wilstermarsch, an internationally important wetland. The Elbe River offers scenic vistas, including passing freighters and tidal flats. Nearby attractions include the Schleusenpark in Wewelsfleth, a historic lock and small museum on local waterway heritage.

Anecdotes and Folklore

No specific local legends or keeper stories have been documented about the Alter Leuchtturm Hollerwettern. Its modest size suggests it played a quiet but vital role for river pilots.

Technical and Operational Details

Height, focal height, light range, and characteristic are not recorded in available sources. The tower's small scale implies a modest range of a few nautical miles.

Further Information

For more information, refer to the OpenStreetMap entry (https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/89253703), Wikimedia Commons image (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hollerwettern_alter_Leuchtturm.jpg), and Wikidata (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30426821).