Name and Location

The Leuchtturm Helgoland (Heligoland Lighthouse) is located in Helgoland, Germany. The official address is Leuchtturmstraße 716, 27498 Helgoland, Germany. The coordinates are 54°10′54.69″ N, 7°52′56.27″ E.

Construction and History

The present tower, often referred to as the "new" lighthouse, was built in the mid-20th century, replacing earlier wartime structures. It marks the northern rim of Heligoland's Oberland plateau and guides shipping through the Helgoland Bight in the German Bight (North Sea). The first navigational light on Heligoland dates back to the early 19th century.

Architecture and Materials

The lighthouse has a Functionalist/Modernist design typical of post-war German maritime construction. It is made of reinforced concrete, with a gallery and lantern. The height of the tower is approximately 35 meters.

Light and Navigation

The lighthouse is active and fully automated since commissioning. However, specific details about light characteristics and nominal range are unavailable.

Accessibility and Visiting

Visitors can access the lighthouse grounds on foot from the town center via Leuchtturmstraße. The interior of the lighthouse is not generally open to the public.

Notable Views and Landscape

Perched atop Heligoland's red sandstone cliffs, the tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding North Sea, the Düne outcrop, and shipping lanes entering the Helgoland Bight. Nearby, the Oberland plateau features a seaside promenade, cliff-top viewing platforms, and the Lange Anna ("Long Anna") sea stack.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Local folklore credits the lighthouse light with warning islanders of sudden storms rolling in from the northwest. Throughout World War II, Heligoland's lighthouse installations were targets of Allied bombing; the current tower supersedes those damaged in 1941.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse has a listed building status as a heritage site (Baudenkmal) with Heritage ID ref: LFD 8453 (Pinneberg). It is managed by Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung, but the exact office unspecified. The lighthouse's official visitor information can be found at https://leuchtturmneuwerk.de/sehenswuerdigkeiten/cuxhaven/cuxhaven-helgoland/sehenswuerdigkeiten-helgoland/leuchtturm-helgoland/.

Further Information

The lighthouse has its own gallery and further reading can be found at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Helgoland_Leuchtturm_1.jpg. Suggested nautical chart references include the Admiralty List of Lights – North Sea volume (exact chart number to be checked locally) and German Waterways Chart: BSH Helgoland Bight approach.