Name and Location

Leuchtturm Wittdün, also known locally as “Leuchtfeuer Wittdün” or “Leitfeuer Wittdün”, is a historic range light tower located on the North Sea island of Amrum, Germany. Its address is Obere Wandelbahn 1000, 25946 Wittdün auf Amrum, Kreis Nordfriesland, Schleswig-Holstein. The coordinates are 54°37′30.41″ N, 8°23′27.46″ E.

Construction and History

The tower was constructed around the late 19th to early 20th century, with exact year of construction unknown. It served as a guiding beacon for coastal shipping and small ferries between Amrum and the mainland. The lighthouse was officially taken out of service in the late 20th century when modern electronic navigation rendered it redundant.

Architecture and Materials

The tower is a slender, cylindrical steel or cast-iron structure with a typical North Sea coastal design. It is striped in the distinctive horizontal pattern red–white–red as per seamark conventions. The height of the tower is approximately 9 m above ground level, likely constructed of prefabricated metal plates or riveted iron sections set on a concrete or masonry foundation.

Light and Navigation

The original light characteristic, focal height, nominal range, and handling (manned by a local keeper or automated) are not recorded in readily accessible public sources. The lighthouse was originally used for navigation purposes but is no longer in use.

Accessibility and Visiting

The tower itself is not open for interior visits. However, it is freely visible from the beachfront promenade and the adjacent dunes. Visitors can access the site by foot, following Obere Wandelbahn from the ferry terminal in Wittdün (approx. 5 min walk), or by car/bike with parking available near the harbor.

Notable Views and Landscape

From the promenade, visitors can see wide tidal flats stretching out to the Halligen islands. At low tide, vast mudflats open up ideal for guided mudflat walks to nearby sandbanks.

Anecdotes and Folklore

Locals sometimes refer to it as the “Red–White Toothpick” owing to its slender form. Stories persist of early keepers who maintained a nightly watch, lighting simple oil lamps before electric installation.

Technical and Operational Details

The lighthouse was managed historically by the Wasser– und Schifffahrtsamt (Water and Shipping Authority) and is no longer in navigational use.

Further Information

• For further information, refer to Wikimedia Commons image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Amrum_Wittd%C3%BCn_Leitfeuer.jpg
• German Wikipedia entry (de): de:Leuchtturm Wittdün
• Wikidata item: Q1739921
• OpenStreetMap feature: way/222880922