Lighthouses link lands

1. Lighthouses link lands

2. Polish lighthouses • Since the end of World War II in 1945, the coast of Poland has stretched from Świnoujście in the west to the Gulf of Gdańsk in the east. All of the Polish coastline was under German control from the 18th century through the end of World War I in 1918. Poland became independent of Germany and Russia as a result of World War I, but between the two world wars its coastline was only a narrow "corridor" at Gdynia. As a result, all of the pre-1945 lighthouses except the three Gdynia lights are of German construction. Since Poland escaped the Soviet orbit in 1991, the country has made great progress in lighthouse preservation. The historic lighthouses have been restored where needed, and they seem to be in good shape. Many of them are open to the public.

3. Świnoujście Lighthouse • Świnoujście Lighthouse, also known as Swinemünde Lighthouse, is an active lighthouse in Świnoujście, Poland. At a height of 212 feet (65 m) it is the fifteenth tallest "traditional lighthouse" in the world, as well as the tallest brick lighthouse, and the tallest in Poland. It is located on the east bank of the river Świna just inside the entrance.

4. History • The first lighthouse in the location was built in 1828. The current structure is from 1857. The cross-section of the entire 1857 tower was octagonal. However, in 1902–1903 the tower was restored to repair spalled brickwork. This converted the shape of the tower above the first gallery to the current round shape. • The tower was damaged during World War II. In 1945, during the retreat of the German troops, an order was given to destroy the lighthouse. However, the German keeper refused the order and the tower survived. The damage was only repaired in 1959. • In 1998–2000, for the new Millennium, the lighthouse was restored. It was and opened to the public in August 2000, along with a lighthouse museum in the keeper's house.

5. The lighthouse originated on the basis of an old orientation-scenic tower built in the second half of the 19th century of dressed stones. The tower was situated on a high, cliff sea shore thanks to which there was a vast view on the sea from it. Kikut Lighthouse

6. History • In 1957 the Sea Building Design Office in Gdańsk worked out a design of rebuilding the tower as a result of which a remote controlled lighthouse was created in 1962. • In the 80's of the 20th century the electric-gas lantern was replaced witch an electric one with a changer with two bulbs. • In 1994 a changer made by a Swedish company was installed in which there are six halogen bulbs. • The lighthouse is not open to the public.

7. On the grounds of an order issued by the German Ministry of Navigation on 15th May 1863, a decision was taken to erect a lighthouse on a 22 m coastal cliff, west of the place now called Niechorze. In 1863 work on the drafting of a design started. Construction continued until 1866, and on 1st December of that year the lamp in the new lighthouse was lit for the first time. It had a white beacon of characteristic 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, unlike the lighthouse at Świnoujście, which had a continuous beacon. Niechorze lighthouse

8. Inside the lighthouse there is a winding staircase. After over 200 stone steps you finally reach the viewing terrace. The total height of the lighthouse is 45 m. On either side the tower is adjoined by residential quarters for four lighthouse-keeper's families. This part reaches up to a height of 12.2 m and was built in dark red brick. The lantern was fitted out with a Fresnel Class I device, designed by Veit-Meyer. Originally the light source was rape-seed oil, with an annual consumption of 1,943 kg. The lamp's characteristic was obtained by means of a clockwork mechanism which moved a metal annular stroboscope with four orifices.

9. Navigational lights and lighthouses, destroyed lots of times by the sea element or by military actions, have been placed at the mouth of the Parsęta river, on its east bank since 1666. The present lighthouse was built at the end of the 40's of the 20th century on the highest platform of the old stronghold of Kołobrzeg fortress erected in the 17th century and extended in the 18th and 19th centuries. Kołobrzeg Lighthouse

10. The walls of the lighthouse tower are made of dark red demolition brick. In the lantern room there is a rotating optical apparatus with eight light walls with two bulbs of 200-watt each in each wall. The lighthouse is open to the public

11. Gąski Lighthouse was built near a small place of the same name on the middle part of the coastline. It is about 112 m away from the shore, and may be reached by a road from the main road from Ustronie Morskie to Mielno. The seashore here is flat, and the beach is sandy. The lighthouse, which is clearly visible from afar over the surrounding woods, towers in solitude over the surrounding countryside. Gąski Lighthouse

12. History and decription • Work to erect the lighthouse started in 1876 and finished in late 1877. The building materials were transported by sea and unloaded on a special landing stage jutting out into the sea. The lighthouse started operations on 1st January 1878, and the cost of its construction amounted to 20,600 marks. • The body of the lighthouse consists of three distinct components. The first is the base, on a 5-metre-deep stone foundation. It is a regular octagon in cross-section with sides of 4 m, has a height of 11.4 m and a wall thickness of around 2 m at the bottom. The second section has a cylindrical shape and rises up to a height of around 40 m. The thickness of the walls at the top of the tower is about 1 m.

13. Darłowo Lighthouse was built at the base of the eastern breakwater on the estuary of the River Wieprza into the Baltic Sea. Its purpose was to guide vessels safely to the port at Darłowo. The lighthouse is in fact situated in Darłówek Wschodni, now a well-known holiday resort; while Darłowo is occupied chiefly in the fishing industry and sailing. Darłowo Lighthouse

14. History • What is certain is that in 1885 a small one-storey pilothouse was erected at the base of the eastern breakwater. This structure was built in red brickwork, with an adjoining square tower on the south. On its second floor there was a room for the pilot on duty, whose task was to observe the roadstead and keep the lighthouse which showed the way into the port. The lamp and Class Four lens was positioned in a window at a height of 12.2 m. It had a constant red beam of light, with a range of 6 nautical miles. • In 1899 the lens was exchanged for a cylindrical, catoptric device, an enhancement by two classes. From the descriptions of the light we know that in 1904 the luminous characteristic was changed. The lighthouse now had a white, flashing beam.

15. To increase the lighthouse's range, in 1927 the tower was extended by another storey, and on top of this a lantern was installed with a white steel dome and a gallery around it. The whole construction was now 22 m high. A prismatic optical device consisting of thirteen shielding segments was set up in the lantern, and it was equipped with a changer system for two 1 kW light-bulbs. The lighthouse was still working using this set-up until recently.

16. Jarosławiec Lighthouse is situated about 400 m from the sea, on a hill around 20 metres above sea level, in the southern part of a village of the same name, south of the road from Jezierzyny to Rusinowo, near a track through the fields to Nadmierz.  Jarosławiec Lighthouse

17. History • The history of Jarosławiec Lighthouse dates back to the early 19th century, when, as maritime traffic on the Baltic increased, it was observed that there were more and more disasters, especially by night, occurring off the coastal stretch between Darłowo and Łeba. To put a stop to this, a decision was taken to build a lighthouse here which would help ships to avoid the shallows in this area. The location chosen was a high cliff in the village of Jarosławiec, an excellent spot for the construction of a lighthouse which would be visible to navigation from a long distance away. • In 1830, after a year's work, the building of the lighthouse according to this project was completed. It was situated around 400 m away from the coastline, on a hill 30 m high. The wall was built by Widekowski, a bricklayer from Sławno; while the steel construction for the lamp was made by Winneg, a blacksmith from Koszalin. Both of these men were local master craftsmen.

18. Ustka Lighthouse is situated at the end of the eastern breakwater protecting the entrance into the port of Ustka, at the point where the River Słupia flows into the Baltic. For centuries Ustka, which is only 18 km away from the city of Słupsk and therefore within its territorial catchment, was that city's window on the world. Ustka Lighthouse

19. History • Ustka Lighthouse has come down to the present day in its original form. Since 15th November 1945, after the end of the War, it has continuously been showing the way to all navigating on this stretch of the Baltic. Its optical device comprises a cylindrical lens with a diameter of 100 cm and two 1 kW light-bulbs mounted in a changer. One of the bulbs is on while the other is a reserve which switches on automatically if the first bulb goes out. Only the name of the lighthouse has changed. When the War finished it was called Postomino Lighthouse, but on 1st January 1947 the lighthouse name reverted to Ustka. It is a familiar landmark to all sailing into the harbour, a characteristic elevation on the Ustka skyline and visible out at sea

20. Czołpino Lighthouse is situated between Łeba and Rowy, within the Słowiny National Park. It is about 1 km away from the coast, between Lakes Gardno and Łebsko, and is located on a high dune. The keeper's residential quarters and outhouses are at the foot of the dune, on the landward side. Unfortunately, for the time being they are unoccupied, and the lighthouse keeper lives in a village 10 km away from the lighthouse. Czołpino Lighthouse

21. History and description • In 1872 a decision was made to build a lighthouse here according to a design drafted by E. Kummer. The choice of a position ruled out the feasibility of supplying the building materials needed by road transport, and so a special landing stage was erected to load the supplies onto barges for the final part of the journey. Work of the construction of the lighthouse took three years, and it was not until 15th January 1875 that the beacon of Czołpino Lighthouse was lit for the first time, illuminating yet another stretch of the Baltic coastline. • Czołpino Lighthouse is a construction in the shape of a truncated cone in red brick-work with an outer facing. At its base the tower has a diameter of 7 m, and its lantern height is 25.2 m. This lighthouse survived the Second World War intact. When wartime hostilities were over, it was in operation already by 7th December 1945 and has been working ever since.

22. The lighthouse was built by the Germans on the concrete and white granite foundation. It was assembled from ready cast steel elements fixed with screws.There are only three such structures in the world, two of which are situated in Europe. Stilo Lighthouse

23. History • Originally the lighthouse had gas lighting- burner, mirrors and prisms. Later, the gas burner was replaced by incandescent lighting- incandescent light of 2500W, mirrors and prisms. For the past 15 years the lighthouse has been using halogen lights with the power of light beam from 1200W/12V, powered from the grid. In case of power failure, there is a standby power generator and 6 batteries of 100A/h each, i.e. 18-hour reserve. The lights are switched on by a photocell or traditionally- manually.In the past, there was also a sound signal with the full sound cycle of 30s. which was audible within 6-12 miles during fog.

24. This is a lighthouse with great significance for Polish maritime history. The legend says that it was once inhabited by Stefan Żeromski, who is reputed to have written “Wiatr od morza” [“The wind from the sea”] here. The lighthouse was built in 1822 and had new storeys added in 1910 and 1978. The lighthouse and the surrounding buildings house an interesting exhibition showing, among other things, models of all the Polish lighthouses. Rozewie Lighthouse

25. History • There were two lighthouses operating on Rozewie from 1875. The new one, 28.8 m high, was built 190 m west of the old one. It stopped being used in 1910 when the old tower was built higher and when electric light was installed there. The tower became higher again in 1978 when an additional steel cylinder was installed there, with diameter 3.5 m and height 8 m. In the new lighthouse revolving machinery was installed with two panels (each equipped with 20 halogen bulbs). Since 1994 the lighthouse has also been a reference station for GPS. With this modern navigational system the geographical position may be identified with the precision of 5-10 m.

26. This most famous coastal Polish lighthouse is closely connected with the history of a "dynasty" of Rozewie’s lighthouse keepers, Leon, Władysław and Zbigniew Wzorkowie. After many efforts of the Maritime Authorities in Gdynia, Society of Friends of The Polish Maritime Museum and The Polish Maritime Museum in Gdańsk, in the lighthouse building there will be a permanent exhibition on the history of Polish lighthouses, on the Maritime Authority in Gdynia, Great Geographical Discoveries and on the history of the lighthouse in Rozewie.

27. The lighthouse at Jastarnia is visible from the distance of 18.5 km when you are at sea but locating it when you are in town is not that easy. You may pass it on your way to the beach and not even notice it as it is hidden in the forest. The 13.3 m high lighthouse was built in 1950 to replace the old one dating from 1932. It is automatic and, unfortunately, not accessible to the public. Jastarnia Lighthouse

28. The lighthouse on Hel has its origins in the 16th century, when a fire was lit on the church tower at a height of 116 feet to guide ships. The structure burned down. In 1638 locals asked Gdańsk authorities to build a lighthouse on the peninsula. After deliberation, a wooden structure was erected circa 1640, with a range of about 6 miles.In 1667 it burned down, too Hel Lighthouse

29. In 1942 Germans ordered locals to erect a new lighthouse. It stood 10 meters to the southeast from the old one (now detonated). The new structure was modern, powered by electricity, and it's been in operation to this day. The lighthouse is a tourist attraction and open to the public during summer. Apart from the lighthouse itself, a few keeper houses remain, dating back to 19th century. Facing west, inland, one can see the Swedish Hill with an old lighthouse built during World War II to replace the one destroyed in Hel at the same time.

30. The original lighthouse, built in 1895, was destroyed in 1945 after being mined by retreating German forces. A new lighthouse, now open to visitors, was built in 1951. Adjacent to it is a small cemetery with a monument to the Soviet soldiers killed in the explosion that destroyed the original building Krynica Morska Lighthouse

31. One of the most beautiful lighthouses of the Baltic Sea. Situated at the entrance of the harbour of Gdańsk, the Nowy Port Lighthouse combined three distinct functions: that of a coastal lighthouse, a harbour pilots tower, and a time ball station. Like in Greenwich, England, the time ball, which measured 5 feet in diameter and weighed 150 pounds, was dropped at noon every day to give a precise time signal to the captains of the ships lying at anchor in the Bay of Gdańsk, to allow them to adjust their chronometers. Gdańsk Lighthouse