Kugelbake

The Kugelbake is built of wood, about 30 feet high navaids in Cuxhaven. The term beacon goes back to the Middle Ages, in which all navaids - even Lighthouses - were so called. It is the landmark of Cuxhaven and mapped in the arms of the city since 1913. A predecessor building still served as a lighthouse; Today Kugelbake is only illuminated at night as a tourist attraction.

Location

The Kugelbake stands at a busy shipping lane in Cuxhaven- Dosen and was an important landmark for navigation. Geographically ends here the same, and it begins the North Sea; from the nautical term, it separates the Outer and Lower Elbe. The Elbe estuary has at the level of Kugelbake a width of about 18 km. At the same time Kugelbake marks the northernmost point of Lower Saxony. Symbolically separates the sea marks the Elbe and the Weser estuary from each other.

History

The first Kugelbake was probably built in 1703 on the initiative of the pilot inspector Paul Allers, after which up to the time available there bearing point, a group of trees that had been washed away by a violent storm surge.

The building was constructed of wood and never had a long life, as wood rot, weather, storm and flood the beacon afflict violently. At the latest after 30 years, it had to be renewed each or repaired. The first renovation was probably 1737.

1853 Kugelbake light was set up as a nightly guide to highlight the difficult waters of curvature. The beacon was burning in a hut that was located within the Kugelbake.

At the outbreak of the Franco-German war in 1870, the light hut was dismantled for tactical reasons, to give the enemy no clue. At the beginning of World War I had to give the Kugelbake. In 1924, she was built again. However, instead of the eponymous ball round two perpendicular composite disks were attached to the tip.

The ball beacon light was from 1878 only needed as a reserve as a fire ship was designed throughout the year.

The Seefunkpionier Jonathan Zenneck tried in 1900 to establish a radio link between the mainland and the boats on the lake. Within the Kugelbake a wooden hut was built, which was equipped with the necessary antennas and technical devices for the very first coast station.

2001, the Waterways and Shipping Administration Kugelbake back to the Federal Property Office, as the navaid had lost its nautical significance. There a foundation for the preservation of this historical landmark was then founded. So the Kugelbake since 2002 owned by the city of Cuxhaven and is a listed building. The current building dates from the period after 1945.

" Kugelbake " as a ship name

Following the navaid a 1951 -built survey ship was named MS Kugelbake. It is operated by the Water and Shipping Authority Lauenburg and leads for the dredging for construction and measurements for the Hydrology soundings on the river Elbe. Its length is 16.27 m, its depth 1.15 m, its width is 4.36 m and it is equipped with a 72 kW motor.

There is also the Ro-Ro vessel MV Kugelbake (built in 2009), see Related links.