If lighthouses are to withstand the raging elements, they must not only be robustly built; they must also stand on solid ground. A rocky granite coastline, for example, or a safe location far from the surf. At Rubjerg Knude, things were different: they were, quite literally, building on sand. And this was on the west coast of Jutland, where winter storms regularly erode the land.
On the safe side?
To achieve the greatest possible light range, the engineers chose the highest point in the area: the shifting sand dune Rubjerg Knude. 200 metres inland from its seaward flank, sheltered from the wind behind the highest dune ridge, they believed they were on the safe side. In 1900, the light was lit at the top of the square tower, 90 metres above sea level, with an impressive range of 25 nautical miles. Everyone congratulated one another.
- Name: Rubjerg Knude Lighthouse, Jutland, Denmark
- Location: North Sea
- Coordinates: 57°26′56.5″N, 009°46′31.7″E
- Tower height: 23 m
- Flame height: 90 m
- Code: Fl.(1+2)W. 30s
The sand puts out the fire
But it soon became clear that everything around the tower was in constant motion. The dune was slowly drifting eastwards with the wind. The fine sand was a constant nuisance to the keepers, intruding into every aspect of their lives. The closer the crest of the dune came, the more shovelling had to be done. Cartload after cartload.
The dune could not be tamed. The well and garden had long since been buried by the time its crest rose so high that the lighthouse’s light disappeared behind it. In 1968, the light had to be extinguished. Rubjerg Knude continued to advance and, over time, buried all the buildings except for the tower itself. For fifty years. But when the site finally re-emerged, the navigational mark faced an even greater threat of destruction: the edge of the cliff had by then come dangerously close.
Here you will find even more special lighthouses.
Escape helpers for the tower
By 2016, there were so few metres left between the tower and the precipice that even a single devastating storm would have meant its collapse. Whilst the authorities in faraway Copenhagen saw this fate as the natural course of events and were already considering demolition, resistance was mounting on the ground.
The tower had long since become a popular tourist attraction, and the view from its gallery – which remains accessible – is spectacular. A plan was devised to help the lighthouse escape. The capital also provided funding. And so the 700-tonne navigation mark was moved 80 metres inland on rails. Rubjerg Knude Fyr was saved – at least for the foreseeable future.
Here you will find even more special lighthouses.
Christian Tiedt
Editor Travel
