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Lighthouses of the Northeastern Netherlands

A small country with a long maritime tradition, The Netherlands (Nederland in Dutch) is home to a large number of historic lighthouses. For centuries fires were lit atop brick towers to guide returning Dutch sailors, and even today the traditional Dutch word for a lighthouse is vuurtoren (fire tower).

The Netherlands is divided into twelve provinces (provincies), and the provinces are subdivided into municipalities (gemeenten). This page includes lighthouses of the northern part of the country, including the provinces of Gelderland, Flevoland, Friesland, and Groningen. This region includes the south and east sides of the IJsselmeer as well as the Dutch portion of the Frisian Islands.

The IJsselmeer is the shallow freshwater lake stretching northeast from Amsterdam, the remnant of the former Zuiderzee cut off from the sea since 1932 by the Afsluitdijk dam and causeway. More than half the original area of the Zuiderzee has been reclaimed as dry land by Rijkswaterstaat IJsselmeergebied, the IJsselmeer Directorate, an agency of the Ministry of Transport and Waterways. In 1975 a second dam was completed across the center of the IJsselmeer, from south of Enkhuizen to Lelystad, cutting off the southwestern part of the IJsselmeer as a separate lake called the Markermeer. The Markermeer was to be drained but this project has been postponed indefinitely and may never be carried out.

There is strong interest in the country in lighthouses and their preservation and many towers have been restored in recent years.

Lighthouses in the Netherlands are maintained by the Rijkswaterstaat, the ministry of infrastructure and water management. Lighthouses of the IJsselmeer are maintained by a separate division of the ministry, the Rijkswaterstaat IJsselmeergebied, formerly called RDIJ. In recent years there has been a movement to transfer some of the historic towers to the ownership of municipal authorities.

The digraph IJ or ij acts as an additional letter in the Dutch alphabet. In Dutch vuurtoren is a lighthouse, lichtopstand is a smaller light beacon, baken is an unlit beacon, eiland is an island, ondiepte is a shoal or reef, baai is a bay, zeestraat is a strait, zeegat is an estuary or harbor mouth, kaap is a cape or headland, sluis is a lock, dijk is a dike, rivier is a river, and haven is a harbor.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. NL numbers are from the official Dutch list Lichtenlijst van Nederland en aangrenzend gebied. U.K. Admiralty numbers are from volume B of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 114. The international light lists do not include the lights of the IJsselmeer and Markermeer.


Schiermonnikoog Light, Schiermonnikoog, November 2022
Instagram photo by Arthur Roetman
General Sources
Nederlandse Vuurtoren Vereniging
Web site of the Netherlands Lighthouse Association. The site includes an interactive map leading to information about each lighthouse.
Online List of Lights - Netherlands
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Many photos are by Capt. Peter Mosselberger ("Capt. Peter").
Leuchttürmseiten von Anke und Jens - Netherlands
This site has photos and information on many of the lights.
Leuchttürme.net - Niederland
Photos and text posted by Malte Werning.
Les Sentinelles des Mers - Pays-Bas
Photos and information by Guy Detienne.
Netherlands Lighthouses
Excellent aerial photos posted by Marinas.com.
Lighthouses of the Netherlands
Excellent photos by Marc de Kleijn, including larger versions of his photos shown on this page.
Nederlandse Vuurtorens
Excellent photos and lighthoiuse information by Dennis Nijhuis.
Netherlands Lighthouses
Photos by Larry Myhre.
Phares d'Europe
Photos posted by Alain Guyomard and Robert Carceller, including about 20 Dutch (Pays-Bas) lighthouses.
Lighthouses in the Netherlands
Photos available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Netherlands
Photos by various photographers available on Lightphotos.net.
List of Lights for the Dutch Coast and Adjacent Areas
The official Dutch light list is available for download.
Netherlands Lighthouses
Historic postcard views posted by Michel Forand.
Holländische Leuchttürme und Feuerschiffe auf historischen Postkarten
Historic postcard views posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNavigationCharts
Navigation chart information for the Netherlands.

Vlieland Light, Vlieland, May 2024
Instagram photo by Wadden.nl

Lighthouses of Gelderland

* Harderwijk (De Vischpoort)
1851. Reactivated (inactive 1947?-2006, now unofficial and decorative); flashing white light. Approx. 15 m (50 ft) structure, octagonal lantern with gallery mounted atop a 3-story brick town gate building. A 2023 photo is at the bottom of this page, Nijhuis has a page for the light, Fred Vanderbom has a 2007 photo, Forand has a 1951 postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The building is said to date from the 14th century and became the town gate in 1592. The lantern was restored in 2006 as part of waterfront redevelopment. A Fresnel lens, possibly the original, is in use. Located on the waterfront in Harderwijk, which was formerly on the south shore of the Zuiderzee and is now on the south shore of the Veluwemeer, the remnant channel between the Zuid Flevoland polder and the mainland of Gelderland. Site open, tower open by arrangement. Site manager: Historische Vereniging Herderewich. ARLHS NET-162.
* Elburg (Elborgh)
1731. Inactive since 1989. Square brick tower (built in 1594) topped by an octagonal pyramidal spire, with a lantern mounted on a bracket on one side of the spire. Joke Reijnen has contributed a photo, Nijhuis has a page with an excellent photo, Werning also has a photo, Forand has a 1953 postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The historic fortress town of Elborgh formerly stood at the southeastern corner of the Zuiderzee. Since the reclamation of the Oost Flevoland Polder it has stood beside the Drontermeer, the narrow residual channel between the polder land and the original mainland. Located at the traditional main gate (also called the Vischpoort) on the northwest side of the old town of Elburg. Site open, tower open regularly (inquire at the museum). Site manager: Museum Elburg. ARLHS NET-181.

Lighthouses of Flevoland

Flevoland is the province including the two great polders, tracts of land reclaimed from the former Zuiderzee between 1932 and 1968. All the lighthouses of the province are in the Noordoostpolder municipality, which replaced the eastern arm of the Zuiderzee. The polder contains two former islands, Schokland and Urk, both having historic lighthouses.

* Kraggenburg (Zwolsche Diep)
1877. Inactive since 1942. 11 m (36 ft) lantern centered on the roof of 1-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Lantern painted white with a red dome. Fog bell mounted on the roof. Peter Keereweer's 2023 photo is at right, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, the Anke/Jens site has a closeup photo, Rudy Muller has a 2015 photo, Werning also has a good photo, Forand has a 1976 postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. This building was formerly the home of the harbormaster, but there is no longer any harbor. The lighthouse now sits on a rise in the middle of a field in the Noordoostpolder about 3 km (2 mi) north of the Ketelmeer, the remnant arm of the former Zuiderzee between the Noordoostpolder and the mainland. The lighthouse is in use as a spiritual workshop and study center. Located about 8 km (5 mi) east of Ens and 2.5 km (1.5 mi) southeast of Kraggenburg. Site and tower closed but the lighthouse can be seen from outside the wall. Owner/site manager: Holistisch Centrum de Bron. ARLHS NET-158.
* Blokzijl (replica)
2008 replica of a 1907 lighthouse. Approx. 6 m (20 ft) hexagonal cast iron lantern and gallery mounted on a square wood skeletal foundation. Lantern and gallery painted white. Nijhuis has a page with a photo, Jan Rottiné has a 2020 photo, Peter Keereweer has a 2023 photo, another photo is available, and Google has a satellite view. The original light stood at the end of long pier at Blokzijl, then on the northeastern shore of the Zuider Zee. It was dismantled in 1942 after completion of the Noordoostpolder left it far inland. The replica is at the original location, now surrounded by farm fields. Google's long-distance street view shows the light on an ungated farm road, but this is private property. Located about 1 km (0.6 mi) southwest of Blokzijl and 1 km (0.6 mi) northwest of Vollenhove. Site open, and anyone can climb the ladder to the gallery.

Kraggenburg Light, Flevoland, April 2023
Google Maps photo by Peter Keereweer
* Schokland Noordpunt (Emmeloord) (replica)
2007 replica of a late 1800s lighthouse; station established early 1800s. Station inactive since around 1940. 9 m (30 ft) square steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted black. The 1-1/2 story keeper's house of the historic lighthouse stands next to the tower and the original 1-story brick fog signal building also survives. Rudy Muller has a good photo of the entire station, Rikus de Jong has a 2016 photo, Andre Boon has a 2023 photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Forand has a 1946 postcard view of the historic light station, and Google has a satellite view. Schokland was an island in the former Zuiderzee and the original lighthouse marked the northern end of the island. Since the 1930s all of the island has been incorporated into the Noordoostpolder. The prefabricated replica lighthouse was trucked to the site and erected in a single day in May 2007. Located about 4 km (2.5 mi) west northwest of Ens and 3 km (2 mi) east of Nagele. Site open, tower closed.
*** Urk (3)
1845 (J. Valk). Station established 1837. Active; focal plane 27 m (89 ft); white flash every 5 s. 18.5 m (61 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to 2-story keeper's house. Rotating Fresnel lens in use. Tower painted white with black trim; lantern painted red with a green dome. Claudia Shari's photo is at right, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Detienne has a page, Allard Bijlsma has a 2021 photo, the Anke/Jens site has an excellent closeup photo, Werning also has good photos, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Forand has a 1963 postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This lighthouse is similar to the Marken lighthouse (see above), also built by Valk. Lights were lit at Urk as early as 1617; at that time, Urk was an island in the Zuiderzee, as seen in a 1934 aerial view posted by Forand (note the light station in the lower left corner of this view). The original lighthouse was lost to beach erosion in 1837 and replaced by a temporary wood tower. The present lighthouse was originally shorter; it was extended by 5 m (17 ft) in 1899. Since the reclamation of the Noordoostpolder in the 1930s Urk has been joined to the mainland, and the lighthouse now stands on the east shore of the IJsselmeer. The lighthouse was restored in 1972 and was declared a national monument in 1981. Although the light was automated in 1989, former keeper Koert Bakker continued to monitor the light station and give guided tours by arrangement. A thorough restoration of the tower was carried out in 2021. Located on a promontory in the town of Urk. Site open, tower open to guided tours in the summer months. . ARLHS NET-026; NL-1956.
Rotterdamse Hoek
1968. Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); white or red light, depending on direction, 5 s on, 5 s off. 7.5 m (25 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with gallery, unpainted. The light is displayed from a mast at one corner of the gallery. Klaas Hakvoort has a 2017 photo, Robert Sterk has a photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a satellite view. The lighthouse marks an angle of the dike enclosing the Noordoostpolder; the place is named "Rotterdam Point" because the dike is built largely from rubble from the buildings in Rotterdam destroyed by German artillery in 1940. Located about 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Urk. The lighthouse is best seen by boat, as there does not appear to be any road access to this location. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NET-173; NL-1964.

Urk Light, Urk, April 2023
Google Maps photo by Claudia Shari

Lighthouses of Fryslân (Friesland): Mainland

The Frisian language is in common use throughout Fryslân. In Frisian a lighthouse is a fjoertoer (fire tower) or sometimes a lJochttoer (light tower).

De Fryske Marren Lighthouses
* Lemmer (2) (replica)
1993 replica of 1887 lighthouse. Inactive. 19 m (63 ft) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal tower with lantern and gallery; access to the lantern is by a stairway that spirals up through the skeletal framework. Skeletal tower painted gold, lantern and gallery black. A 2022 photo is at right, De Kleijn has an excellent closeup, the Anke/Jens site also has a good photo, Wikimedia has Udo Ockema's closeup photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse was repainted in 2017. Huelse has a postcard view of the original cast iron lighthouse, and Forand has a postcard view from the 1940s. The historic lighthouse was demolished in 1968. This replica was built for a movie, De Vuurtoren (The Lighthouse). Forand also has an 1886 postcard view of an earlier light at Lemmer. Located at the end of the Vuurtorenweg in the harbor of Lemmer, on the east side of the IJsselmeer just north of the Noordoost Polder. Site open, tower closed. Site manager: unknown. . ARLHS NET-014.
* Lemmer Pierhead (1)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 9.5 m (31 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (20 ft) rectangular skeletal tower painted white, carrying a small red lantern, and centered on a square 1-story brick building. This light was restored to its original appearance in 2018; the Lighthouse Association has a photo of the results, Nijhuis has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. A 2014 photo shows the light before the restoration; the light was then on a mast atop the building. Located at the end of the west beakwater pier at Lemmer, a short distance south of the replica lighthouse. Accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. NL-1992.

Súdwest-Fryslân Lighthouses
* Stavoren South Pierhead
1885. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); continuous green light. 7 m (24 ft) hexagonal pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted with green and white horizontal bands. Werning also has a good photo, Anke and Jens have a photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Wikipedia has a photo showing both pier lights, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the south breakwater in Stavoren, on the northeast coast of the IJsselmeer; accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NET-070; NL-2006.
* Stavoren North Pierhead
1885. Active; focal plane 8 m (26 ft); continuous red light. 6 m (21 ft) hexagonal pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Werning also has a good photo, Anke and Jens have a photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Wikipedia has a photo showing both pier lights, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located on the north breakwater in Stavoren; accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. ARLHS NET-069; NL-2004.

Lemmer Light, Lemmer, June 2022
Instagram photo by im_herzen_nordlicht
* Stavoren High (Range Rear) (2?)
1884 (A.C. van Loo). Station established at least by 1780. Active; focal plane 15 m (50 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 16 m (52 ft) hexagonal pyramidal cast iron skeletal tower with lantern and gallery; access to the lantern is by a stairway that spirals up through the skeletal framework. Tower painted red, lantern white with a red dome. De Kleijn has an excellent closeup, the Anke/Jens site has an excellent photo, Werning also has a photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Huelse has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view. RDIJ restored this historic tower in 2001. The range has been discontinued. According to the former Vuurtorens in Nederland site the front light (ex-NL-1994) was on a 6 m (20 ft) post. However, several sites claim that the south pierhead light was the front light. Perhaps there were ranges on both lines. Located just off the Kooijweg on the north side of the harbor in Stavoren. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS NET-159; NL-1996.
* Workum (3?)
1778 (station established 1623). Inactive since 1932 (a decorative light may be displayed). Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with gallery, painted white, attached to 1-1/2 story brick dwelling. No lantern; there is a flagpole at one corner of the gallery. Hemmo Heidekamp's 2021 photo is at right, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, the Anke/Jens site has two great photos, Wikimedia has Udo Ockema's photo, and Google has a satellite view. Blogger Stephan Kraan has posted some information (in Dutch) on the history of this lighthouse. The original wood tower was replaced by a stone tower in 1708. The present house was built in 1712, but the light tower was not added until 1778. The tower carried open fires until a lantern was added in 1880. The lighthouse was deactivated when the Zuiderzee was diked and became the IJsselmeer. The lighthouse is a private residence. According to Kraan, the owner, named Reid, worked for years to restore a light to the tower, and the 2007 photo at right shows a short mast with a light. This light is also seen in Willem Vandenberg's 2017 photo. Located on a small hill about 2.5 km (1.5 mi) north of Hindeloopen and 4 km (2.5 mi) southwest of Workum. Site and tower closed, but the tower can be viewed from nearby. Owner/site manager: private. . ARLHS NET-179.
* Makkum Range Rear (De Waag)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 17 m (56 ft); continuous green light. Light mounted somewhere on the spire crowning De Waag, a historic 4-story brick building. Wikimedia has several photos and Google has a street view and a satellite view. De Waag was built in 1698 by a merchant's guild for the inspection of meat and dairy products like cheese and butter. The range, apparently of fairly recent origin, guides vessels approaching Makkum through a new channel from the IJsselmeer. The front light is on a post. Located on the Voorstraat in downtown Makkum. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: unknown. NL-2020.

Workum Light, Workum, August 2021
Google Maps photo by Hemmo Heidekamp

Harlingen (Harns) Lighthouses
Harlingen is a historic fishing port on the Wadden Sea (Waddenzee), the sound between the Frisian Islands and the mainland. The modern town has a population of about 16,000.

** Harlingen (6?)
1921 (C. Jelsma) (station established 1904). Inactive since 1998 (a decorative light is displayed; charted as a landmark). Approx. 23 m (75 ft) square cylindrical brick and concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted white; lantern dome is black. Google's 2024 street view is at right, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Detienne has a page, Stefan Schlautmann has a photo, De Kleijn has a great photo, Wikimedia has Michiel Verbeek's 2010 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google also has a satellite view. The station has a long and poorly-known history. A 16th century wood lighthouse was followed by a stone tower on a fort at the harbor entrance, then by a second stone tower (1759). In 1882 a 12 m (39 ft) wood tripod carried a lantern; this was followed in 1904 by a hexagonal wood tower. Huelse has a postcard view of the 1904 lighthouse. After deactivation this handsome and historic lighthouse was converted to a bed and breakfast. The new owners raised the lantern and inserted a glass-enclosed observation room atop the main part of the tower. Overnight accommodations available. Located on the Havenweg south of the harbor entrance in downtown Harlingen, overlooking the Waddenzee. Site open, tower open to bed and breakfast guests. Owner/site manager: Vuurtoren van Harlingen . ARLHS NET-009; ex-Admiralty B0914.2.
Trinity House Lightship 8 Radio Waddenzee (Jenni Baynton)
1949. Decommissioned 1991. 41.2 m (137 ft) steel lightship; light displayed from a square pyramidal steel skeletal tower with lantern and gallery. Pieter Musterd has a photo, Huub van den Hengel has several photos, the Lighthouse Association has a page for the ship, Detienne has a page, and Google has a satellite view. Built by Philip & Son, Dartmouth, England. The ship served many stations off the English coast in the service of Trinity House. After being decommissioned the ship was named Barocca and used as a discotheque at the Wijnhaven in Rotterdam. The discotheque closed in 2001 and the ship was towed to Moerdijk. In 2004 it was returned to Rotterdam, where Iris Klempau spotted it moored in the Waalhaven. In 2005 it was sold to Radio Waddenzee. It now houses a radio station and is also available for meetings. In the warmer months it is anchored at the Zuidepier in Harlingen, but it spends the winter in a more protected location in the harbor. Owner/site manager: Radio Waddenzee . ARLHS NET-187.
* Harlingen Range Rear
1976. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); white light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 19 m (62 ft) round cylindrical concrete tower with gallery. Lighthouse painted with black and white horizontal bands. Trabas has Helmut Seger's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The front light is on a short post. Located next to a warehouse on the main quay of Harlingen, just west of the historic lighthouse. NL-2118; Admiralty B0913.61.

Harlingen Light, Harlingen, July 2024
Google Maps street view
German Lightship Elbe V (Atlantis)
1905. Decommissioned 1975. 57 m (187 ft) steel lighthsip converted to a 3-masted barkentine. Andreas Schultze has a photo and Google has a satellite view of the ship's home port. The ship was acquired by the Tallship Company in 2005 and makes vacation and chartered cruises around the world. The company is based at Franeker on the outskirts of Harlingen. The ship could turn up almost anywhere. Owner: Tallship Company (Barkantine Atlantis) .

Lighthouses of Fryslân (Friesland): Frisian Islands

The Frisian Islands, or Wadden Islands, are a chain of barrier islands along the North Sea coast of the Netherlands and Germany. The southernmost island, Texel, is in Noord Holland (see above). Flylân (Vlieland), Skylge (Terschelling), Amelân (Ameland), and Skiermûntseach (Schiermonnikoog), the remaining inhabited islands in the Netherlands, are in Fryslân. All the islands are readily accessible by ferries and are popular seaside resorts.

Flylân (Vlieland) Lighthouse
*** Vlieland (Vuurboetsduin, Vuurduin) (2)
1909 (station established 1836). Active; focal plane 54 m (177 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 17 m (55 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and double gallery, painted red; lantern is white with a red dome. 1st order Fresnel lens in use. An observation tower stands next to the lighthouse. A 2024 photo is at the top of this page, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, the Anke/Jens site has excellent photos, Trabas has a photo by Klaus Potschien, Gijs Kloek has a 2021 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Huelse also has a postcard view of the 1836 lighthouse. The present lighthouse was constructed using the upper portion of the 1879 IJmuiden Front Light (see above). The lighthouse was restored in a major project in 2018-19. The earlier history of Vlieland lights is not well known at all; there are references to lights at least as early as 1543. Located on a dune, the Vuurboetsduin, the highest point of Vlieland, just west of the port town of Oost Vlieland. Site open; tower open daily but hours are limited (inquire locally). Vlieland is accessible by passenger ferry from Harlingen on the mainland; in the summer there is also ferry service from the northern end of Texel. (Visitors are not allowed to bring vehicles to the island, but bus transportation is provided.) . ARLHS NET-028; NL-2066; Admiralty B0894; NGA 9968.
* [Vlieland (lantern)]
1878. The lantern, removed in 1986, is in use as a kiosk at a miniature golf course. The Lighthouse Association has a closeup photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Site open. Owner/site manager: Midgetgolfbaan De Oude Vuurtoren.

Skylge (Terschelling) Lighthouse
* Terschelling (Brandaris) (3)
1835 (station established about 1330; tower built in 1594 by Pieter Albertsz). Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); white flash every 5 s. Massive 52.5 m (172 ft) square brick tower with lantern, gallery, and an enclosed modern observation room. Two 4th order Fresnel lenses in use. Lydia Staring's 2022 photo is at right, Anke/Jens site has a good photo, Trabas has a photo by Rainer Arndt, Ralf Grispen has a 2021 photo, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The original tower collapsed in 1593 and a replacement tower was a failure, collapsing shortly after completion. The present monumental tower, a triumph of late 16th century engineering, was built as a lighthouse, but fires were displayed from its top for only about a decade. It then waited more than 200 years before fulfilling its original purpose of guiding ships through the Zeegat van Terschelling into the Waddenzee and Zuiderzee. Today it is one of the most famous lighthouses in the Netherlands. Located in the village of West Terschelling near the western end of the island of Terschelling (accessible by ferry from Harlingen). Site open; only the first floor of the tower (used as a wedding chapel) is open to visitors. . ARLHS NET-025; NL-2080; Admiralty B0904; NGA 9980.

Brandaris Light, Terschelling, February 2022
Instagram photo by Lydia Staring
* [Noordkaap (Kleine Kaap)]
1978. Inactive daybeacon. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) triangular steel skeletal tower carrying a rectangular daymark panel. Entire beacon is black. Rin Schlo has a distant 2024 photo and Google has an indistinct satellite view. Located on the dunes near the east end of Terschelling. Site open, tower closed.

Amelân (Ameland) Lighthouse
*** Ameland (Bornrif) (2)
1881 (Quirinus Harder) (station established 1876). Active; focal plane 58 m (190 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.8 s, every 15 s. 55 m (181 ft) round cast iron tower with lantern and double gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. A 2022 photo is at right, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Trabas has a great photo by Capt. Peter, a 2021 photo and a 2007 closeup are available, Marinas.com has aerial photos, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse was prefabricated by Nering Bögel in Deventer. The 2nd order Fresnel lens in use was used at Goedereede 1908-1912 and then at Westhoofd from 1912 to 1940; it was installed at Ameland in 1952. The lantern was replaced in 1988; the original lantern is mounted above the entrance to the Maritiem Centrum Abraham Fock in Hollum (next entry). In 2004 ownership of the lighthouse was transferred to the municipality of Ameland. The original light here was described as an "iron stand." Located in Hollum at the western end of the island of Ameland; the island, a popular resort destination, is accessible by ferry from Holwerd. Site open; tower is open for climbing but the schedule is not available. . ARLHS NET-001; NL-2162; Admiralty B0920; NGA 9996.
* [Ameland (lantern)]
1881. The lantern, removed in 1988, is mounted on the roof of a museum. Nijhuis has a page for the lantern and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Site open. Owner/site manager: Maritium Centrum Abraham Fock.
* [Oerd (Kaap Oerd)]
1960. Inactive daybeacon. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) square wood skeletal tower carrying an octagonal daymark panel. Slebas Koxcks has a 2020 photo, Nijhuis has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the dunes near the east end of Ameland. Site open, tower closed.

Oostmahorn Beacon
[Oostmahorn]
1950. Inactive daybeacon. Approx. 7 m (23 ft) round tower with "lantern" and gallery. Wikimedia has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This tower is a peilschaal, a water gauge station; although the interior is lit at night, the light is not charted as an aid to navigation. Navionics charts the tower as a landmark. Located in Anjum on the west bank of the Lauwersmeer, an inlet of the Wadden Sea southeast of Ameland. Site and tower closed although the tower can be seen from nearby. ARLHS NET-060.

Ameland Light, Ameland, March 2022
Instagram photo by VVV Ameland
 

Skiermûntseach (Schiermonnikoog) Lighthouses
* Schiermonnikoog 
1854. Active; focal plane 44 m (144 ft); four white flashes, separated by 3.1 s, every 20 s; there is also a continuous directional light, white or red depending on direction, shown only to the northeast, at a focal plane of 30 m (98 ft). 36 m (118 ft) round brick and stone tower with lantern and gallery, painted bright red; lantern is white with a red dome. 3rd order Fresnel lens. Two 1-1/2 story keeper's houses. Arthur Roetman's 2022 photo is at the top of this page, Peter Voerman has a photo, the Anke/Jens site has an excellent photo, Trabas has a photo by Rainer Arndt, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, Marinas.com has aerial photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Huelse has a historic postcard view showing a secondary light in front of the main tower. Older photos show various paint schemes on the tower; the present red was applied in 1998. Located near the west end of the island of Schiermonnikoog, west of the town of the same name. The island is accessible by passenger ferry from Lauwersoog on the mainland; special permission is needed to bring cars to the island. Site open, tower closed. . ARLHS NET-021; NL-2192; Admiralty B0938; NGA 10008.
** Schiermonnikoog South (Zuidertoren)
1854. Inactive since 1909. 35 m (115 ft) round brick and stone tower. Original lantern replaced by a round equipment room carrying a microwave communications antenna. Tower painted white. A 2022 photo is at right, Mik Leijssius has a 2021 photo, Anke/Jens site has a good photo, Wikimedia has an excellent photo, a 2006 photo is available, Nijhuis has a page for the lighthouse, the Lighthouse Association also has a page, Huelse has a historic postcard view, Claudio Basilone has a 2017 street view, and Google has a satellite view. The building was converted to a water tower in 1950 and then to a communications tower in 1992. In 2018 the Stichting Behoud Zuidertoren (South Tower Preservation Foundation) assumed maintenance of the tower, and in 2019 the tower was repainted. Located in the village of Schiermonnikoog. Island accessible by passenger ferry from Lauwersoog on the mainland; special permission is needed to bring cars to the island. Site open, first two floors of the tower open (check website for the schedule). Site manager: Museum Zuidertoren. . ARLHS NET-022.
* [Kobbeduinen]
1960. Inactive daybeacon. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square wood skeletal tower with slatted sides as a daymark. Bernd Schluckebier has a 2022 photo, Ad Hendrickx has a 2017 photo, Nijhuis has a photo for the beacon, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a high dune about 8 km (5 mi) east of the Schiermonnikoog lighthouses. Site open, tower closed.
* [Willemsduinen]
1967. Inactive daybeacon. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) square wood skeletal tower carrying a diamond shaped daymark panel and a rectangular daymark panel. S.J. Nijeboer has a 2022 photo and Google has a satellite view. Located about 8 km (5 mi) east of the Kobbeduinen beacon. Site open, tower closed.

Schiermonnikoog South Light, Schiermonnikoog, July 2022
Instagram photo by tineke_fotografie

Lighthouses of Groninge

Rottumeroog Lighthouse
Emder Kaap (Kaap Oosterend, Rottumeroog)
1947 (tower built 1883). Inactive since 1956. Approx. 15 m (49 ft) hexagonal pyramidal skeletal tower, painted black. Klaas-Jan Prakken has a photo, John Berrelkamp has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. This Quirinus Harder design was also used for the Kaap Oosterend beacon on Texel (see the North Holland page). A lantern was placed on the tower in 1947, but in 1956 the lantern was moved to the Schilbolsnol lighthouse, also on Texel. In 1989 the beacon was disassembled for restoration; it was reassembled in 1990. In 1999 it was moved south 400 m (1/4 mi) to escape accelerating beach erosion. Rottumeroog is the easternmost Dutch island of Friesland; the beacon helped guide vessels approaching the Ems estuary, which is the border with Germany. Located on western end of the island. Accessible only by boat, and the island is closed to the general public. Site and tower closed. ARLHS NET-196.

Eemshaven Lighthouse
Eemshaven Range Rear
Date unknown (1973?). Active; focal plane 16 m (52 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off. Approx. 12 m (39 ft) post adjoining a square 1-story equipment building, all mounted on a concrete platform supported by four concrete piles. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a satellite view. Eemshaven is a new port, opened in 1973, at the mouth of the Eems (Ems) River. This is the entrance range for the harbor. The front light is on a mast supported by a tripod. There is ferry service across the river from Eemshaven to the German island of Borkum. Located on the quay on the east side of the harbor. Site status unknown. NL-2258; Admiralty B0984.1.

Information available on lost lighthouses:

  • De Hooghe Bruggepoort (1639-1842), Harderwijk, Gelderland. This building was demolished in 1842.
  • Delfzijl (1889-1981), Eems (Ems) River, Groningen. Huelse has images of the original and 1949 lighthouses. The lighthouse was demolished to make way for port buildings. The Fresnel lens of the 1949 lighthouse is on display at the Muzeeaquarium Delfzijl. ARLHS NET-004.
  • Hollum (1891-around 1920?), Amelân, Fryslân. This lighthouse was demolished. ARLHS NET-193.
  • Rottumeroog (1883-1931), Groningen. The location of this lighthouse has been lost to the rapid erosion of the island.
  • Schokland Zuidpunt (4) (1856-1944), Noordoostpolder. Destroyed during World War II and not replaced, since it had become obsolete. Forand has a postcard view of the second lighthouse as it looked about 1800. ARLHS NET-175.
  • Watum (1888-1945), Ems Estuary, Groningen. A photo is available (second photo of the set). German troops held the building late in World War II until it was destroyed by a British bombing raid in April 1945. ARLHS NET-178.

Notable faux lighthouses:

Harderwijk Light, Harderwijk, August 2023
Google Maps photo by PIxel Mike

Adjoining pages: East: Germany: East Frisia | South and West: North Holland

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted January 23, 2005. Checked and revised February 20, 2025. Lighthouses: 24; lightships: 6. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.