Name and Location

The Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf lighthouse, also known as Leit- und Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf, serves as a vital navigation aid for coastal traffic approaching the island of Amrum in the Wadden Sea. Its official name is Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf, and it is listed under reference node/50023665 on OpenStreetMap.

The lighthouse is located at Straße Ohne Straßennamen (plus code M895+MC), Norddorf, Föhr-Amrum municipality, Nordfriesland district, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Its coordinates are 54°40′8.97″ N, 8°18′30.83″ E.

2. Construction and History

The Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf was constructed in 1906 to mark the cross-track alignment for vessels rounding the southern tip of Amrum. The lighthouse remains an active navigation aid, protected as a local heritage monument (Baudenkmal) by the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Schleswig-Holstein.

3. Architecture and Materials

The Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf is a skeletal steel framework tower on a concrete base, typical of early 20th-century German lightmark construction. The tower stands 7 meters tall above the surrounding terrain, with a focal plane height of 22 meters above sea level. Its appearance features an unpainted metal framework with daymarks at an appropriate height, without keeper's quarters.

4. Light and Navigation

The lighthouse emits an occulting light pattern once every six seconds, cycling for a total duration of six seconds (Oc (1.5) + 4.5 s). The light is visible in four sectors: Sector 1 (White), ranging from 31° to 97° with a range of 15 nautical miles; Sector 2 (Red), ranging from 97° to 176.5° with a range of 11 nautical miles; Sector 3 (White), ranging from 176.5° to 178.5° with a range of 15 nautical miles; and Sector 4 (Green), ranging from 178.5° to 188° with a range of 11 nautical miles.

5. Accessibility and Visiting

The structure itself is not open to the public, but visitors can access the surrounding area on foot via coastal paths from the village of Norddorf, approximately one kilometer walk through dunes. The best views of the lighthouse are available at low tide from the nearby dyke or Wadden Sea mudflat.

6. Notable Views and Landscape

The Quermarkenfeuer Norddorf is situated amidst the stunning natural beauty of the Wadden Sea UNESCO World Heritage tidal flats, near dune belts and salt marshes. The surrounding landscape offers opportunities for birdwatching, seal-watching, and guided mudflat walks from Husum to Amrum.

7. Anecdotes and Folklore

No notable anecdotes or folklore are available at this time.

8. Technical and Operational Details

The Quermarkenfeuer Nordorf has been automated since the mid-20th century, with no resident keeper. It remains in service under the Waterways and Shipping Office Tönning (WSA Tönning) and is charted on German hydrographic charts, reference B 1728.

9. Further Information

For further information, consult OpenStreetMap node/50023665, BfS 2/20 WSA Tönning, or the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Schleswig-Holstein (Baudenkmalverzeichnis Nordfriesland).