Kampen lighthouse, Sylt

The Lighthouse Kampen (also Rotes Kliff lighthouse or Red Cliff ) is located at Kampen on the Geest core of the island of Sylt. The White Tower is wearing a black belt.

History

At the time, as Sylt belonged to the Danish kingdom, King Frederick VII of Denmark granted in 1853, the contract to build a lighthouse on the highest point of the island, the Red Cliff. This was also, until 1975, the original name of this lighthouse. On March 1, 1856 shone for the first time his fire. The light device originally used by petroleum supply was at that time a technical revolution, which was shown in 1855 at the World Exhibition in Paris.

The tower was built of yellow Bornholm bricks. Iron rings which were in 1875 also set as iron corset rings around the tower, give the building additional strength.

By the year 1953, the tower was yellow - gray, the color of the weathered clinker. Then he received his striking black-and- white days identifier.

In the first years after its creation, the lighthouse was a popular attraction for visitors and locals. Received guest books from the 1870s and 1880s is emphatically shown. At the time the tower was - still be visited and climbed - unlike today. He offered the visitors a spectacular view over large parts of the island.

In 1929 the tower underwent its largest ever conversion, the lamp house was completely remodeled and converted the lighthouse of petroleum to electric operation.

Since 1977 there are no longer in Kampen lighthouse keeper, since the tower is, as all active Sylt beacon, remotely controlled via a remote timer. His fire awakened about an hour before sunset and goes off one hour after sunrise.

Only once in its more than 150 -year history had to fear for its existence to the tower. Plans of the Wehrmacht saw large parts of the Braderuper Heide - leveling for the expansion of the air base and blow up the Kampen lighthouse - in the tower is located. These plans were rendered obsolete by the occupation of Denmark and Norway, as the strategic importance of Sylt had now fallen significantly.

In the years 2004 and 2005, the tower was extensively renovated and was to completely scaffolded for several months. On June 4, 2006, there were the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the beacon a big " tower hard "; there were the rare opportunity to visit the newly renovated tower and climb. The tickets were raffled off to.

In the arts

Due to its striking black-and- white color scheme of this lighthouse is a popular motif in the painting. In addition to countless smaller artists also such well-known painters such as Ole West or Hans Nordmann took the Tower to the subject of their works.

View of the lighthouse