Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse (Danish: Rubjerg Knude Fyr) is on the coast of the North Sea in Rubjerg [da], in the Jutland municipality of Hjørring in northern Denmark. It was first lit on 27 December 1900.[2] Construction of the lighthouse began in 1899.
![]() The lighthouse in 2004 | |
![]() | |
Location | Rubjerg, Hjørring Municipality, Denmark |
---|---|
Coordinates | 57°26′56″N 9°46′28″E |
Tower | |
Constructed | 1900 |
Construction | masonry tower |
Height | 23 metres (75 ft) |
Shape | square tower with balcony and lantern |
Markings | white tower, red lantern |
Operator | Vendsyssel Historiske Museum[1] |
Light | |
Deactivated | 1968 |
Focal height | 90 m (300 ft) ![]() |
Characteristic | Fl(1+2) W 30s ![]() |
The lighthouse is on the top of Lønstrup Klint (cliff), 60 metres (200 ft) above sea level. Until 1908 it operated on gas which it produced from a gasworks on the site.[3]
Shifting sands and coastal erosion are a serious problem in the area. The coast is eroded on average 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) a year, which can be seen most clearly at the nearby Mårup Church.[2] Built around 1250, the church was originally 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) from the coast,[4] but was dismantled in 2008 to prevent its falling into the sea.
The lighthouse ceased operating on 1 August 1968.[3][5] For a number of years, the buildings were used as a museum and coffee shop, but continually shifting sands caused them to be abandoned in 2002.[3] By 2009, the small buildings were severely damaged by the pressure of the sand[5] and were later removed.
It was expected that the tower would fall into the sea by 2023; however, works to relocate the lighthouse started on 14 August 2019,[6] and on 22 October 2019 the 23 metres (75 ft) high lighthouse, weighing 720 tonnes, was moved 70 m (230 ft) inland on specially built rails. The cost of the move was 5 million Danish kroner (£0.6m; €0.7m; $0.75m) and was paid by Hjørring Council with government funding. The move is expected to secure the future of the lighthouse at least until around 2060.[7][8]
![]() | This article about a Danish building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |