The Federal Republic of Germany (Bundesrepublik Deutschland in German) occupies a central location in northern Europe with two coastlines, one facing northwest on the North Sea and the other facing northeast on the Baltic Sea. The country's history is long and complex. The large number of historically independent German regions came together in 1871 to form the German Empire. The Empire became a republic after World War I (1914-18). After World War II (1939-45) Germany was divided into two countries, the German Federal Republic in the west, usually called West Germany, and the Communist-led German Democratic Republic in the east, usually called East Germany. After the Communist government collapsed the Federal Republic reunified the nation in October 1990. This page lists lighthouses of North Frisia, the northern part of the North Sea coast. This coast faces westward on the North Sea between the Elbe estuary and the Danish border. Historically North Frisia was included in the Duchy of Schleswig, a part of the kingdom of Denmark. In the mid 1800s a series of struggles, including two brief wars, led eventually to a partition of the Duchy; the northern half remained in Denmark and the southern half became part of Germany. In North Frisia there are three surviving Danish lighthouses on the island of Sylt and several other light stations that were established under Danish rule. Today Germany is a federal republic with 16 member states called Bundesländer. North Frisia is part of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany's northernmost state. Interest in lighthouses is strong in Germany and most of the towers are in good condition. A federal law provides blanket protection to historic lighthouses. There is concern, however, that many of the lights may be deactivated in the coming years as navigators depend less and less on them. In German a lighthouse is a Leuchtturm ("light tower"), plural Leuchttürme. The front light of a range is the Unterfeuer and the rear light is the Oberfeuer. There are many modern range lighthouses and most of these towers are crowned by a topmark: a large, distinctive structure that serves to mark the range clearly in the daytime. Some topmarks are conical, others are funnel-shaped, and some consist of one or more gallery-like rings around the tower. In German Insel is an island, Riff is a reef, Kap is a cape, Bucht is a bay, Fluss is a river, Mündung is a river mouth or estuary, and Hafen is a harbor. The word Straße ("street") is also used for a waterway or strait. Lighthouses in Germany are operated by the regional harbor authority, called the WSA (Wasserstraßen- und Schiffahrtsamt). Most of the lights on this page are in the jurisdiction of WSA Elbe-Nordsee. The WSA's are linked to and regulated by a federal agency, the Wasserstraßen- und Schifffahrtsverwaltung des Bundes (WSV). ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. DE numbers are the German light list (Leuchtfeuerverzeichnis) numbers as noted on Erich Hartmann's website. Admiralty numbers are from volume B of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from NGA Publication 114. |
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Helgoland Lighthouses
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Nordfriesland District Lighthouses
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: North: Denmark West Coast | South: West Holstein
Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key
Posted March 30, 2005. Checked and revised April 12, 2025. Lighthouses: 25. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.