Name and Location

The Alter Leuchtturm Travem��nde (Old Travemünde Lighthouse) is a historic masonry lighthouse located in Travemünde, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. The exact address is Am Leuchtenfeld 1, 23570 Lübeck-Travemünde.

2. Construction and History

The Alter Leuchtturm Travemünde was originally constructed in 1539 as part of Travemünde's fortified harbour. In 1793, the tower was heightened and fitted with a large lantern room and oil lamps. However, by 1913, a new steel-framed lighthouse was commissioned, and the old tower was decommissioned. After being closed to the public for refurbishment in 1972, it was restored and operated as a maritime museum and viewing platform in the 1980s.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Alter Leuchtturm Travemünde is a brick structure with local fieldstone foundations, topped by a cast-iron lantern room. The tower has a circular shaft with slightly tapering walls and a gallery balcony beneath the lantern.

4. Light and Navigation

Although it was once used as a navigational aid, the Alter Leuchtturm Travemünde is no longer operational as a light source since 1913. The original light range is estimated to have been around 10 nautical miles.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The museum and observation tower are open daily from April to September (10:00–18:00) and on weekends and holidays only during the off-season (11:00–16:00). Entrance fees apply, with adult tickets costing €4.50, children's tickets (6-14 years old) €2.50, and family tickets €10.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

From the top gallery, visitors can enjoy a 360-degree panorama over Travemünde's harbour basin, the Priwall peninsula across the Trave estuary, and the open Baltic Sea to the north.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

According to local fishermen's tales, a phantom light was seen at the old tower on stormy nights, known as the "Travemünde Wichtel" (Travemünde goblin), said to lure stray vessels toward the sandbanks. Recorded accounts date from the late 18th century.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The Alter Leuchtturm Travemünde has a height of 31 meters, with an estimated focal height above mean sea level of around 34 meters (based on tower height and harbour datum).

9. Further Information

For more information, please visit the official website at https://leuchtturm-travemuende.de/, or consult references such as Martin Hinrichsen's "Leuchttürme an der Ostseeküste" (2015) or Dieter Zimmermann's "Travemünde – Geschichte eines Hafens" (2002).