Skagen's White Lighthouse () is a historic
lighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lens (optics), lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways.
Ligh ...
just north of the town of
Skagen
Skagen () is the northernmost town in Denmark, on the east coast of the Skagen Odde peninsula in the far north of Jutland, part of Frederikshavn Municipality in North Denmark Region, Nordjylland, north of Frederikshavn and northeast of Aalbo ...
in the far north of
Jutland
Jutland (; , ''Jyske Halvø'' or ''Cimbriske Halvø''; , ''Kimbrische Halbinsel'' or ''Jütische Halbinsel'') is a peninsula of Northern Europe that forms the continental portion of Denmark and part of northern Germany (Schleswig-Holstein). It ...
, Denmark. It was operational from 1747 to 1858 when it was replaced by
Skagen Lighthouse.
[.]
History
Designed by
Philip de Lange
Philip de Lange (c. 1705 – 17 September 1766) was a leading Dutch-Danish architect who designed many different types of building in various styles including Dutch Baroque and Rococo.
Early life and family
Philip de Lange was probably born ...
, it was the first lighthouse in Denmark to be built of brick. The octagonal tower, initially in raw red brick, was
whitewashed at the beginning of the 19th century. With a height of 21 m (69 ft), it is located at the junction of Fyrvej and Batterivej. The lighthouse was originally coal fired, the coal being hauled up through an internal shaft and placed in a
fire basket
A fire basket is an iron basket in which wood can be burned to make a bonfire. Fire baskets have been used since antiquity mainly to illuminate and heat rooms. Today, they are most often used in an outdoor garden area as an Patio heater, outdoor ...
. In 1835,
rapeseed oil
Close-up of canola blooms
Canola flower
Rapeseed oil is one of the oldest known vegetable oils. There are both edible and industrial forms produced from rapeseed, the seed of several cultivars of the plant family Brassicaceae. Historica ...
replaced the coal and the lighthouse was fitted with a parabolic mirror. In 1858, the White Lighthouse was replaced by the Grey Lighthouse which was located 2 km further north on
Skagen Odde
Skagen Odde, also Skagens Odde, sometimes known in English language, English as the Scaw Spit or The Skaw, is a sandy peninsula which stretches some northeast and comprises the northernmost area of Vendsyssel in Jutland, Denmark.[ ...]
. From 1871, the White Lighthouse was used as a signaling station to warn sailors of ice or of missing
lightship
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship that acts as a lighthouse. It is used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction. Although some records exist of fire beacons being placed on ships in Roman times, the ...
s.
[
]
Exhibition venue
The White Lighthouse is now used as a venue for exhibitions. It can be booked from Frederikshavn Municipality
Frederikshavn Municipality () is the northernmost Danish municipality, located in Region Nordjylland.
As a result of ''Kommunalreformen'' ("The Municipal Reform" of 2007), it is a merger between the previous municipalities of Frederikshavn, S ...
.
See also
* Skagen's Vippefyr
Skagen's Vippefyr (sometimes referred to in English as Skagen's Lever Light) is a navigational light mechanism located in Skagen in the far north of Jutland. The original vippefyr, the first of its kind, was built in 1627. A faithful copy now stan ...
* List of lighthouses and lightvessels in Denmark
This is a list of lighthouses and lightvessels in Denmark. Except for the island of Bornholm, Denmark is located at the transition between North Sea and Baltic Sea which includes the Skagerrak and Kattegat waters.
Lighthouses
See also
* Lis ...
References
Further reading
*
External links
{{authority control
Lighthouses completed in 1747
Towers completed in 1747
Lighthouses in Denmark
Buildings and structures in Skagen