Alter Leuchtturm Travemünde
How to find us:
- Street
- Am Leuchtenfeld 1
- Zip, City
- 23570 Lübeck-Travemünde
- Country
- Germany
- Phone
- 04502 / 88 91 790
- Web
- http://www.leuchtturm-travemuende.de/
- info@leuchtturm-travemuende.de
- Tags
- #Aussichtsturm #maritimes Museum
Description
As a distinctive landmark at the mouth of the Trave, the Leuchtturm von Travemünde, together with the sailing ship Passat, shapes the townscape and today serves as a museum and a technical monument.
The tower is built of red brick and acquired its classical appearance after a reconstruction in 1827. With a total height of 31 metres it is articulated by five encircling cornices; at half height there is a small balcony that once served as a pilot’s lookout, and in the upper section a narrow platform. The focal height of the light is 30.6 metres.
The history of navigational aids on the Trave goes back to medieval documents: as early as the Lübeck Charter of Imperial Freedom of 1226 there is a reference to a harbour marker, and in 1316 a lighthouse keeper is mentioned for the first time. A predecessor tower was destroyed in 1534, rebuilt in 1539 and after a fire in 1827 was transferred into its present form. Technically, the light was converted from petroleum lamps to electric operation with carbon arc lamps in 1903; in 1937 it was converted to incandescent lamps with a cylindrical reflector. A lamp-changing device operated with 1000-watt/24-volt lamps, the nominal range was 16 nautical miles. The light’s characteristics were produced by two Otterblenden with different flash sequences. Conservation work took place in 1954 and 2004.
Operation at the old site ended in 1972 because a new building obscured the view; since 30 April 1974 the light has been located on the Maritim Travemünde at 114.7 m above sea level and is counted among the highest lighthouses in Europe. The former tower was established as a museum (since 2004) and displays on eight floors historical maritime signals as well as equipment from lightships and lighthouses, including models, sea lanterns and lighting systems. In the topmost floor, accessible via 142 steps, the operational installation with the 1000-watt incandescent lamps has been preserved. A flood mark on the tower commemorates the severe Baltic storm flood of 1872.