Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse
Kanalstraße 85, 24159 Kiel, Germany
Name and Location
The Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse stands on the west bank of the Kiel Canal in the Holtenau quarter of Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Its address is Kanalstraße 85, 24159 Kiel-Holtenau.
Construction and History
The Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse has a long history as a seaward beacon marking the northern entrance to the Kiel Canal. It played a crucial role in guiding shipping into Europe's busiest artificial waterway from its inception.
Architecture and Materials
The lighthouse is a freestanding masonry tower, standing 20 meters above ground level with a focal plane of 22 meters above mean sea level. The construction materials are not documented in available sources.
Light and Navigation
The Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse features an occulting group light (Oc) with a repeating sequence of 2 + (1) + 2 + (1) + 5 + (1) seconds, every 4 seconds per segment. The light is visible in sectors: green occulting for range 8 nautical miles in sector 217°-224° and 270°-012°; white occulting for range 11 nautical miles in sector 224°-270° and 012°-039°.
Accessibility and Visiting
The lighthouse tower itself is not open to the public. However, visitors can enjoy excellent views of the structure from the northern canal bank and adjacent walking paths along Kanalstraße and Tiessenkai.
Notable Views and Landscape
- The surrounding area offers a picturesque landscape with the Kiel Canal, locks, museum ship "MS Konsul Klaus", and canal visitor center.
- The Holtenau marina and waterfront promenade provide additional attractions.
Anecdotes and Folklore
No significant events or major shipwrecks are associated with the lighthouse's history. It survived two World Wars with minimal damage, playing a vital role in guiding shipping throughout Europe during that time.
Technical and Operational Details
The Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse is fully automated, with no resident keepers. Its primary role is to mark the seaward approach to the Kiel Canal locks and serve as a daymark/landmark for commercial and recreational vessels.
Further Information
For further information, please visit the German Wikipedia page on Leuchtturm Holtenau or OpenStreetMap feature: way/136056440.
Details
| Name | Kiel Holtenau Lighthouse |
|---|---|
| City | Kiel-Holtenau |
| Country | Germany |
| Coordinates | 54.369241, 10.1539483 |
| Events | Survived two World Wars with minimal damage. |
| Historic significance | Historic role: From its inception the lighthouse guided shipping into Europe’s busiest artificial waterway. |
| Architectural style | Freestanding masonry lighthouse tower |
| Focal height | 22 |
| Tower height | 20 |
| Access description | On foot or by car via Kanalstraße; limited on-street parking nearby. |
| View description | Best external views from the northern canal bank and adjacent walking paths along Kanalstraße and Tiessenkai. |
| Nearby attractions | Kiel Canal northern locks, Museum ship ‘MS Konsul Klaus’ and canal visitor centre, Holtenau marina and waterfront promenade |
| Light characteristic | {"type":"Occulting group light (Oc)","sequence":"2 + (1) + 2 + (1) + 5 + (1) seconds, every 4 s per segment"} |
| Light range | {"nmi":[8,11]} |
| Automated | true |