Lighthouses of Poland: Baltic Coast

The Republic of Poland (Polska in Polish) is located to the south of the Baltic Sea between Germany and Belarus. Poland has a long history but in the last decades of the 1700s it lost its independence, partitioned in several stages by its then-neighbors Prussia, Russia, and Austria. Following World War I the 1919 Treaty of Versailles restored Poland's independence but gave the country only a small section of coastline at Gdynia. At the end of World War II in 1945 Poland's borders were shifted westward, reducing the size of the country but granting it a substantial coastline removed from the defeated Germany.

Since 1945 the coast of Poland has stretched from Świnoujście in the west to the Gulf of Gdańsk in the east. Poland has at least 26 lighthouses on its Baltic coast and also many lighthouses on the inland waterway that extends along the Odra River from Świnoujście to Szczecin. This page includes the lighthouses of the Baltic coast east of Świnoujście. Lights of the Świnoujście area and the Odra River are listed on separate pages.

Since all of the modern Polish coastline was under German control from the 18th century through the end of World War I in 1918. all of Poland's pre-1945 lighthouses except the three Gdynia lights are of German construction. The historical German names for these lighthouses are shown in curly braces {}. At least four lighthouses were destroyed during World War II and many of the others suffered severe damage.

Poland is divided into 16 provinces called voivodeships (województwa), and the voivodeships are subdivided into powiats (counties) and gminas (municipalities).

In Polish a lighthouse is a "sea lantern," latarnia morska, plural latarnie morskie. Wyspa is an island, płycizna is a shoal, zatoka is a bay, zalew is a lagoon, cieśnina is a strait, rzeka is a river, falochron is a breakwater, and molo is a pier. The Baltic Sea is called the Morze Bałtyckie in Polish.

Active Polish lighthouses are operated by the regional Maritime Office (Urząd Morski). Previously there were three of these offices, in Szczecin, Słupsk, and Gdynia. In 2020 the Słupsk office was closed and its duties transferred to the Gdynia office.

ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Light List numbers are from volume C of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. U.S. NGA List numbers are from Publication 116.

General Sources
Lovers of Lighthouses Association
Website of the Polish lighthouse society Stowarzyszenie Miłośników Latarń Morskich. This excellent site has extended historical accounts and photos of the major light stations; search Polskie wybrzeże (Polish coast) under Latarnie Morskie in the menu at left.
Lista latarń morskich w Polsce
Historical information and photos from the Polish-language edition of Wikipedia.
Min Blinkfüer
Photos and accounts in German of German and Polish lighthouses.
Polnische Leuchttürme
Photos posted in 2005 by Klaus Huelse.
Baken und andere Seezeichen
Photos and historical accounts in German by Gerd Liedtke.
Online List of Lights - Poland
Photos by various photographers posted by Alexander Trabas. Many of the photos for this area are by Capt. Peter Mosselberger ("Capt. Peter").
Leuchttürme von Anke und Jens - Polen
This site has photos and information on the larger coastal lights.
Lighthouses in Poland
Photos by various photographers available from Wikimedia.
World of Lighthouses - Poland
Photos by various photographers available from Lightphotos.net.
Polish Maritime Offices
Sczecin | Gdynia
World Lights - Poland
Historic postcard views posted by Michel Forand.
Leuchttürme der ehemaligen deutschen Ostgebiete
Postcard views of historical German lighthouses in Poland and other former German territories, posted by Klaus Huelse.
GPSNauticalCharts
Navigational chart for Poland.
Navionics Charts
Navigational chart for Poland.

Darlowo Light
Darłowo Light, Darłowo, March 2008
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Red 81

Ustka Light
Ustka Light, Ustka, July 2010
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Paweł Marynowski

Zachodniopomorskie (West Pomerania) Province Lighthouses

Kamień County Lighthouse
* Kikut (Wisełka) {Kiesberg}
1962 (tower built 1826). Active; focal plane 91 m (299 ft); white light, 5 s on, 5 s off. 18 m (59 ft) round rubblestone tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted dark brown stone except for a red band painted just under the gallery; the lantern is unpainted gray metal, appearing white at a distance. Huelse has a good closeup photo, Trabas has a similar postcard photo, Anke and Jens have a photo, Wikimedia has several photos, Liedke has a page for the beacon, Erich Schleifer has a closeup street view, and Google has a fuzzy satellite view. This early nineteenth-century tower was used as a watchtower and later as a signal station before being converted to a lighthouse by the addition of a modern lantern. It is the highest light on Poland's generally low coastline. The lighthouse is in the seaside forest of the Woliński National Park. Located on a headland on the north shore of the island of Wolin, in the Odra delta near Wisełka. Accessible by an easy hike from the Wiselka resort area. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Szczecinie. Site manager: Woliński Park Narodowy. . ARLHS POL-011; Admiralty C2892; NGA 6496.

Gryfice County Lighthouse
**** Niechorze {Horst}
1866. Active; focal plane 63 m (207 ft); white flash every 10 s. 45 m (148 ft) octagonal concrete-covered German Imperial brick tower with lantern and gallery rising from a large 2-story brick keeper's house. Light station surrounded by a brick wall. Lantern is white; the concrete on the tower is in the form of vertical panels, so the tower appears red with off-white vertical stripes. The concrete was added in 1924. This is a staffed station with a female head keeper as of 2005. A photo is at right, the regional government has a page on the lighthouse, with many photos, Wikimedia has a large portfolio of photos, Huelse has a closeup photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Anke and Jens have a similar photo, Piotr Sochacki has a 2021 photo, Forand has a 1912 postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Late in World War II German troops prepared to destroy the lighthouse but fled before the charges could be detonated. The lighthouse was fully restored in 1999-2000 and there was some additional restoration of the brickwork in 2008. Located just outside the seaside resort town of Niechorze about halfway between Kikut and Kołobrzeg. Site open; tower open daily year round. Operator: Urząd Morski w Szczecinie. Site manager: Latarnia Morska w Niechorzu . ARLHS POL-014; Admiralty C2904; NGA 6520.

Niechorze Light, Niechorze, May 2016
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by MOs810

Kołobrzeg County Lighthouse
**** Kołobrzeg {Kolberg} (3)
1948 (station established 1899). Active; focal plane 33 m (108 ft); white flash every 3 s. 26 m (85 ft) round cylindrical brick tower with lantern and double gallery, rising from a large round eighteenth-century fortification. A most unusual lighthouse. The lantern is not attached directly to the tower, but is raised on eight columns; underneath, the open gallery provides a great observation platform for tourists. The tower is unpainted red brick; lantern and galleries are painted white, the lantern roof black. A photo is at right, Petr Markl has a 2021 photo, Jason Prini has an evening view, Wikimedia has several photos, Trabas has a fine photo, Anke and Jens have photos, Huelse has a good closeup photo, Forand has a postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Kołobrzeg has a long history and lights are said to have been displayed here as early as 1666. The fortress on which the lighthouse stands was built by Prussia in the 1830s. In 1899 the light was on the pilot tower seen in Forand's postcard view; the 1909 tower, seen in Huelse's postcard view, was built on the present site. During World War II the city was almost completely destroyed when the retreating German Army held out in Kołobrzeg against a 14-day siege. Nearly everything had to be rebuilt, including the lighthouse. Today there is a small museum in the lighthouse. Located in town, on the waterfront, near the base of the east mole. Site open; museum and tower open daily April through October and Friday through Sunday in the winter. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Kołobrzeg . ARLHS POL-012; Admiralty C2906; NGA 6552.

Koszalin County Lighthouse
*** Gąski {Funkenhagen}
1878. Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); white light occulting three times, separated by 2.5 s, every 15 s. 50 m (163 ft) German Imperial round brick tower with lantern and gallery, rising from a 2-story octagonal brick base. 1st order Fresnel lens in use. 2-1/2 story brick keeper's house. Light station surrounded by a brick wall. Wikimedia has several photos, Adam Bialy has a 2022 closeup, Huelse has a good photo and a historic postcard view, Anke and Jens have photos, Trabas has Rainer Arndt's photo, Forand also has a postcard view, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. Unlike other Polish lighthouses this handsome tower escaped major damage during World War II. After having its deteriorating brickwork patched up repeatedly over the years the tower was thoroughly restored in 1995-97. The lighthouse is now open to the public; the keeper's house includes a restaurant and gift shop. Located on the coast about 20 km (13 mi) east of Kołobrzeg. Site open; museum and tower open daily May through September. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska w Gąskach . ARLHS POL-004; Admiralty C2914; NGA 6560.
Kołobrzeg Light
Kołobrzeg Light, Kołobrzeg, September 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Mieczysaw

Sławno County Lighthouses
*** Darłowo {Rügenwalde}
1885. Active; focal plane 20 m (65 ft); white light, 2 s on, 3 s off, 2 s on, 8 s off. 22 m (72 ft) square cylindrical brick tower with lantern and gallery, attached to the front of a rectangular 2-story brick pilot house. Building is unpainted red brick; lantern and gallery rail painted white. Fresnel lens in use. Wikimedia has several photos including the photo at the top of this page, Jan Górski has a lovely 2021 photo, Anke and Jens have photos, Huelse also has a photo, Trabas Capt. Peter's closeup photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Forand's postcard view shows the lighthouse before it was heightened by an additional story in 1927; another postcard view shows the present configuration. The building was in use as the harbormaster's office for many years. Restored in 1997-98, it was opened to the public in 2000. The building contains a souvenir shop. Located on the east side of the entrance to the Wieprza River in Darłowo, a small town halfway between Świnoujście and Gdynia. Site open, tower open daily year round. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Darłowo . ARLHS POL-003; Admiralty C2918; NGA 6564.
*** Jarosławiec {Jershöft} (2)
1838 (station established 1830). Active; focal plane 50 m (164 ft); two white flashes every 9 s. 33 m (109 ft) round four-stage brick tower with lantern and gallery, connected to a 2-story brick keeper's house. Wikimedia has a portfolio of photos including Alina Zienowicz's photo at right, Ryszard Marek has a 2021 photo, Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, Anke and Jens have photos, Trabas has a good postcard closeup, Forand has a postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This lighthouse marks a prominent northward bulge in the Polish coastline. The original lighthouse here proved to be too short; trees quickly grew taller than the light tower, which was not strong enough to be extended. Thus the lighthouse was quickly replaced. The tower was badly damaged during World War II and it took more than a year to repair it after the war. In 1996 the lighthouse was restored and opened to the public as a tourist attraction. Located near the village of Jarosławiec, about 30 km (20 mi) northeast of Darłowo. Site open, tower open daily May through September (hours limited to late afternoon except in July and August). Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Jarosławiec . ARLHS POL-009; Admiralty C2926; NGA 6580.

Jaroslawiec Light, Jaroslawiec, May 2012
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Alina Zienowicz

Pomorskie (Pomerania) Province Lighthouses

Słupsk County Lighthouses
*** Ustka {Stolpmünde} (2)
1892 (station established 1872). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white light, 4 s on, 2 s off. 23 m (69 ft) octagonal brick tower rising from one corner of a 2-story brick pilot house. 1st order Fresnel lens in use. Paweł Marynowski's photo is at the top of this page, Marcin Sikorski has a 2019 closeup, Anke and Jens have photos, Wikimedia has a large portfolio of photos, Trabas has a photo, Huelse has a closeup, Forand has a postcard view, Heinrich Kamenz has a street view, and Google has an indistinct satellite view. This is one of the few Polish lighthouses to escape World War II without damage; it was back in service by November 1945. The building was restored in 2000. Today the pilot house is occupied by a resident caretaker and also by a station of the Polish weather service; the weather instruments are clustered around the lantern. Located at Ustka, a popular seaside resort town about 30 km (20 mi) northwest of the city of Słupsk. Andreas Köhler reports that according to a historical marker a light was shown from the tower of the Nikolauskirche (St. Nicholas's Church) before the light was established on the pilot station in 1872. The church does not survive. Located in downtown Ustka, on the east side of the Słupia River entrance. Site open, tower open daily in July and August and Friday through Sunday the rest of the year. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska w Ustce . ARLHS POL-020; Admiralty C2930; NGA 6584.
* Rowy
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 10 m (33 ft); orange light, 3 s on, 3 s off. 8 m (26 ft) round cylindrical white tower with lantern and gallery. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a street view and a distant satellite view. This is a leading light for entry to the Łupawa River. Located on the east side of thr river's mouth in Rowy. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C2939.1; NGA 6612.
*** Czołpino {Scholpin}
1875. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); white light: one long flash followed by one short flash every 8 s. 25 m (83 ft) round brick tower with lantern and gallery. Tower unpainted, watch room painted white, lantern dome black. A hyperradiant Fresnel lens (larger than 1st order) is in use. This is said to be the largest lens in use on the Baltic Sea. Paweł Marynowski's photo is at right, Trabas has a fine postcard photo, Wikimedia has a photo, Adam Kopecký has a 2021 photo, Huelse has a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. During the Communist era the light station was in a sensitive military area, but the lighthouse was restored in 1993-94 and subsequently opened to the public. The lighthouse stands about 1 km (0.6 mi) from the beach atop a forested dune in the Słowiński National Park, an international biosphere reserve famous for its dunes and freshwater pond system. Accessible by an unpaved road that ends at the base of a very long stairway leading to the lighthouse. Site open, tower open daily May through September. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni Site manager: Słowiński Park Narodowy (Latarnia Morska Czołpino ). ARLHS POL-002; Admiralty C2940; NGA 6616.


Czołpino Light, Słupsk County, July 2010
Wikimedia photo © Paweł Marynowski CC BY-SA 3.0


Lębork County Lighthouse
* Port Łeba
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 7 m (23 ft); white, red or green light, continuous or flashing, depending on direction (there are seven sectors). 5 m (17 ft) round white tower, flared at the top. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Zuzia and Waldemar Banasiak have a 2022 photo, and Google has a street view and an indistinct satellite view. Located at the end of the main breakwater at Łeba. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C2944.5; NGA 6627.

Wejherowo County Lighthouse
**** Stilo
1906. Active; focal plane 75 m (246 ft); three white flashes, separated by 2.2 s, every 12 s. 33.5 m (110 ft) 16-sided cast iron tower with lantern and double gallery. A tricolored lighthouse: lower third of tower painted black, center third white, upper third red; lantern, watch rooms, and galleries painted white. 3-story brick keeper's house attached to 1-story brick generator and equipment house. 20 m (66 ft) square cylindrical brick fog signal tower (early 1950s). Tomasz Lerczak's photo is at right, Trabas has a good closeup by Apoloniusz Łysejko, a 2022 photo is available, Wikimedia has many photos, Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This beautiful cast iron lighthouse survived both world wars intact and looks today much as it did when it was built. The Fresnel lens was removed in 1975 and is on display at the Rozewie Light Museum (next entry). The light station is still maintained by resident keepers of the Łozicki family, who have served continuously since the end of World War II. Lighthouse Digest has a comprehensive article on the lighthouse published in connection with its centennial in 2006. Located atop a hill in the Mierzeja Sarbska Nature Preserve, about 800 m (1/2 mi) from the beach and about 7 km (4.5 mi) east of Łeba. Accessible by a hike of about 1.2 km (3/4 mi) from the parking area at Osetnik; there is a steep climb to the lighthouse. Site open, tower open daily June through August. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Rezerwat przyrody Mierzeja Sarbska (Latarnia Morska Stilo ). ARLHS POL-017; Admiralty C2954; NGA 6632.

Stilo Light, Łeba, July 2018
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Tomasz Lerczak

Puck County (Władysławowo Area and Hel Peninsula) Lighthouses
The Hel Peninsula (Mierzeja Helska) is a 35 km (20 mi) long barrier sand spit extending southeastward from Władysławowo. Beaches on the peninsula are very popular in the summer. The bay sheltered by the peninsula is called Puck Bay (Zatoka Pucka).
**** Rozewie {Rixhöft} East Tower
1822 (twice heightened). Active; focal plane 83 m (272 ft); white flash every 3 s. 32 m (105 ft) round tower, lower half concrete-clad (stone?) with a gallery at the top, upper half a tapered 2-stage steel tower with lantern and two more galleries. Lower half of tower is unpainted, upper half painted red. A photo is at right, Adam Kuźniewski has a 2021 photo, Jan Jerszyński has a good 2005 photo, Huelse has a photo, Trabas has an older closeup by Klaus Kern, Mikołaj Herwart has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. This unusual lighthouse was actually built in three stages. The original tower, now clad in concrete, was about 18 m (60 ft) tall. In 1910, when trees had grown tall enough to obscure the light, a 5 m (17 ft) conical steel tower was added atop the old tower, raising the height to 24 m (79 ft). Forand has a postcard view of the lighthouse as it appeared after 1910. In 1978, when even more height was required, the tower was extended a second time with a cylindrical steel section. The lighthouse marks Cape Rozewie, the northernmost point of Poland and the western entrance to the Gulf of Gdańsk. The lower section of the lighthouse houses a lighthouse museum with exhibits on all the Polish lighthouses; among the exhibits are the Fresnel lens from Stilo and the lantern from the former German lightship Adlergrund. Located on the cape about 10 km (6 mi) northwest of Władysławowo. Site open; tower and museum open daily May through September. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Rozewie . ARLHS POL-016; Admiralty C2960; NGA 6636.
* Rozewie {Rixhöft} West Tower
1878. Inactive since 1910. Approx. 20 m (66 ft) octagonal cylindrical tower with watch room and double gallery. The original lantern was removed long ago but recently (in or about 2014) a replica lantern has been added to the tower. The tower is unpainted yellow brick; lantern painted red. This lighthouse was built to make Rozewie a double light for better identification at a distance. Edward Kaczmarczyk has a 2015 photo, Robert Koss has a 2020 drone view, Wlodek Zieland has a street view and Google has a satellite view. Wikipedia has a closeup photo of the tower before it was restored and the replica lantern installed. Huelse has a postcard view showing both lighthouses as they appeared around 1900. Located about 200 m (220 yd) west of the historic east tower. Site open, tower open in seasonARLHS POL-038.
#Władysławowo {Großendorf} North Breakwater (1)
1938. Inactive at least since 2004; removed by 2009. This was a 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal cast iron (?) tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted green. Polish Wikipedia has a 2007 photo. Anna Jenšíková visited this site in August 2009 and found that the old tower had been removed. Located near the end of the breakwater sheltering the harbor of Władysławowo. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open.
Rozewie Light
Rozewie Light (East Tower), Władysławowo, September 2009
Wikimedia public domain photo by Julo
* Władysławowo {Großendorf} North Breakwater (2)
Around 2000. (station established 1938). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); green light, 3 s on, 2 s off. 10 m (33 ft) hexagonal concrete tower with gallery, painted green. This light has been built fairly recently on a short extension of the breakwater. Trabas has a photo, Kamila Głuch has a 2018 photo, Bartek Maryniak has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of the breakwater sheltering the harbor of Władysławowo. Accessible by walking the breakwater. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. ARLHS POL-040; Admiralty C2961; NGA 6640.
* Władysławowo Dom Rybaka ("Fishery Building")
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 78 m (256 ft); continuous red light. Approx. 70 m (230 ft) square cylindrical tower with a pyramidal roof topped by a tall mast. Trabas has a photo, Adrian Andrzejewski has another photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The Dom Rybaka was built under Communist rule as a hotel; it was completed in 1957. Although it is "Fishery Building" in the light lists, its name actually means "Fisherman's House." It now houses the city government of Władysławowo and a private butterfly museum. The light is intended as an aerobeacon, but because of its 37 km (23 mi) range it is also important for maritime navigation. Located on the Hallera boulevard in downtown Władysławowo. Site and building open. Owner/site manager: Gmina Władysławowo. . Admiralty C2964.6; NGA 6649.
* Jastarnia Range Rear (2)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 19 m (62 ft); orange light occulting once every 4 s. Light mounted on the clock tower of the Jastarnia town hall; in Trabas's photo the light is visible under the clock tower roof. Artur Tarasiuk has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The front light is on a post. Located on the waterfront of Jastarnia, a town on the south side of the Hel Peninsula. Site open, tower closed. Owner/site manager: Gmina Jastarnia. Admiralty C2983.1; NGA 6656.
Jastarnia (2)
1950 (station established 1938). Active; focal plane 22 m (72 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, 9 s on, 7 s off. 13 m (43 ft) round cylindrical steel tower with lantern and gallery, painted with red and white horizontal bands. Tomasz Lerczak's photo is at right, Daniel Nuszkiewicz has a photo, Trabas has a closeup taken by Huelse, Wikimedia has a 2018 photo by Tomasz Lerczak, and Google has a satellite view. The original lighthouse, a 25 m (82 ft) steel skeletal tower, was blown up by Polish forces at the start of World War II in 1939. The present lighthouse was constructed using a section of the original (1906) fog signal tower relocated from Stilo. Note: The German name for Jastarnia was Heisternest, but this name was applied to the lost lighthouse of Jastarnia Bór, 6.5 km (4 mi) to the east. Located at Jastarnia, on highway 216 about 40 km (25 mi) southeast of Władysławowo. Site and tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska w Jastarni . ARLHS POL-010; Admiralty C2965; NGA 6664.

Jastarnia Light, Hel Peninsula, July 2018
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Tomasz Lerczak
* Góra Szwedów
1936. Inactive since 1990. 17 m (56 ft) square steel skeletal tower with platform but no lantern, rising from a square 2-story concrete base. Wikimedia has a closeup by Maciej McLion Lewicki, a 2021 photo is available, Mateusz Perges has a street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located atop a dune at the easternmost bulge of the Hel peninsula about 3 km (1.8 mi) north of the Hel lighthouse. (The word góra means a mountain, so it is a tall dune.) Site open; apparently nothing prevents climbing the abandoned tower although the safety of this is doubtful. Owner/site manager: unknown. . ARLHS POL-043; ex-Admiralty C2966.
*** Hel {Hela} (5)
1942 (modern station established 1827). Active; focal plane 41 m (134 ft); white light, 5 s on, 5 s off. 40 m (131 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Wikimedia has a portfolio of photos including Tomasz Kolowski's photo at right, Trabas has a good photo, a 2021 photo is available, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. This lighthouse marks the end of the Hel peninsula (Mierzeja Helska), a crucial point of reference for ships entering the Gulf of Gdańsk (Zatoka Gdańska). Lights were displayed in this area in the 17th century, including lights in a church tower as early as the 16th century. Lighthouses were built nearby in 1670 and 1790. Huelse has a postcard view of the 1827 lighthouse, and Forand has a postcard photo taken after the tower was painted with red and white bands in 1929. Like the Jastarnia Light it was blown up by Polish forces at the start of World War II in September 1939. Germany replaced the tower the next year, during the short-lived period of peace on the eastern front. In 1989 the tower was equipped with a radar antenna atop the lantern, and now the gallery is crowded with communications equipment. Located at the end of highway 216, about 72 km (45 mi) southeast of Władysławowo. Site open, tower open daily May through September, but the gallery is closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Hel . ARLHS POL-008; Admiralty C2968; NGA 6672.
* Hel Northern Harbor South Mole
Date unknown. Inactive at least since 2020. Post mounted atop an 8 m (26 ft) hexagonal concrete pierhead building. Trabas has a photo, Grześ Sidor has a 2018 photo, Kolejowe Gliwice has a photo, and Google has a satellite view and a distant street view. The northern harbor is no longer in use. Located at the end of the mole at Hel's northern harbor; accessible by walking the pier. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty C2982.
Hel Light
Hel Light, Hel Peninsula, May 2008
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Tomasz Kolowski
* #Rewa (1)
Date unknown. Replaced between 2016 and 2019. This was an 8 m (26 ft) square pyramidal skeletal tower, painted orange and carrying a trapezoidal slatted daymark painted white. James Markoja has a 2016 street view from the beach and Google has a satellite view. Andreas Köhler visited this light in 2021 and found that it had been replaced with a light on a post (focal plane 10 m (33 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 3 s on, 1 s off). Trabas has a photo of the new light and Wojciech Reszkowski has a 2019 street view. Located on the north beach at Rewa, a resort town on the south side of Puck Bay. Site open, tower closed. Active light: Admiralty C3010; NGA 6708.

Gdynia City Lighthouses
In the German Empire prior to World War I Gdynia was a small resort town called Gdingen. The new Polish government developed the town as a seaport in the 1920s, since at that time it was the only coastal town in Polish hands.

Gdynia Entrance North
Date unknown (1930s?). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); green light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) 8-ribbed tapered concrete tower with lantern and gallery. Lantern painted green. Trabas has a closeup, Arkadiusz Stachowski has a photo, Krzysztof Wozniak has a 2020 photo, Lina Rubylka has a view from the sea, Huelse has a historic postcard view of both lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a detached breakwater on the north side of the main entrance to Gdynia harbor, the entrance used by Stena Line ferries sailing across the Baltic to and from Karlskrona, Sweden. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. ARLHS POL-078; Admiralty C3015.2; NGA 6729.
Gdynia Entrance South
Date unknown (1930s?). Active; focal plane 15 m (49 ft); red light, 2 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) 8-ribbed tapered concrete tower with lantern and gallery. The lighthouse is unpainted concrete with red trim; lantern painted red. A photo is at right, Trabas has a closeup, a closeup is available, Huelse has a historic postcard view of both lighthouses, and Google has a satellite view. Located on a deatched breakwater on the south side of the main entrance to Gdynia harbor. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. ARLHS POL-079; Admiralty C3016; NGA 6732.
Gdynia Entrance Range Front
Date unknown. Inactive since 2020 (?). 15 m (49 ft) square cylindrical steel skeletal tower, painted white. The tower carries a huge slatted daymark painted white with a black vertical stripe on the range line. Trabas has a photo, Piotr Matyga has a drone view, and Google has a satellite view. Located on the breakwater quay on the north side of the entrance to the inner harbor known as the Awanport. Site and tower closed. ex-Admiralty C3018; NGA 6716.
Gdynia Entrance Range Rear (Rumunska Quay, Yugoslav Quay) (2)
Date unknown. Inactive since 2020 (?). 27 m (79 ft) tower. The tower carries a huge slatted daymark painted white with a black vertical stripe on the range line. Trabas has a photo, Krzysztof Szatybełko has a drone view, and Google has a satellite view. It appears that the quay is called the Rumunska Quay today; NGA calls it the Yugoslav Quay. Located at the end of the second of three large piers on the south side of the Awanport. Site and tower closed. ex-Admiralty C3018.1; NGA 6720.
 

Entrance South Light, Gdynia, September 2003
Google Maps photo by Pietkonrad
Gdynia Breakwater South End
Date unknown (1930s?). Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 7.5 s on, 2.5 s off. 10 m (33 ft) pentagonal concrete tower with lantern. The lighthouse is unpainted concrete with green trim; lantern painted green. A photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, a 2005 photo is available, Bartłomiej Ponikiewski has a distant street view, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the extreme south end of the Gdynia breakwater, which extends about 3 km (1.8 mi) south from the Entrance South Light. Accessible only by boat. Site and tower closed but there is a good view from the end of the Molo Puludniowe. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Admiralty C3016.2; NGA 6736.

Sopot City Lighthouse
*** Sopot
1957 (tower built 1904). Active; focal plane 25 m (82 ft); white flash every 4 s. Approx. 33 m (108 ft) square masonry tower with a pyramidal roof. The light is in a small drum-shaped lantern attached to a narrow gallery outside a window about 3/4 of the way up the tower. Radoslaw Kus has a 2021 photo, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Radoslaw Kus has a photo, Wikimedia has a portfolio of photos, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The tower was built as part of a large spa, which was very popular in the early 20th century. A light was installed on the tower in 1957; in 1978 it was replaced by the present lantern. Sopot, sometimes called the "summer capital" of Poland, is a town on the Gulf of Gdańsk on the southern outskirts of Gdynia. The town was part of the Free City of Danzig from 1920 to 1939. The light guides ships into the town's harbor, which is protected by a long L-shaped mole. In 2023 the building was under restoration and renovation, but it was open by May. Site open, tower open daily during the summer. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Owner/site manager: Latarnia Morska w Sopocie . ARLHS POL-034; Admiralty C3046; NGA 6844.

Gdańsk City Lighthouses
The city of Gdańsk (known as Danzig in German) has been a major seaport on the Baltic Sea for many centuries. Between the two World Wars (1920-1939) it was semi-autonomous as the Free City of Danzig (Freie Stadt Danzig).

*
Brzeźno Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); yellow light, 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off, synchronized with the rear light. 24 m (79 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. The tower carries a huge slatted daymark in the form of an arrow, point up. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, a 2018 photo is available, Hanna Bielińska has a street view from the beach, and Google has a satellite view. This is an approach range for the Nowy Port. Located just off the beach in the Brzeźno neighborhood, about 800 m (1/2 mi) west of the Nowy Port entrance. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C3062; NGA 6860.
Port Gdynia South Breakwater Light
Breakwater South End Light, Gdynia, November 2007
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by kkic
* Brzeźno Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 31 m (102 ft); yellow light, 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off, synchronized with the front light. 36 m (118 ft) square skeletal tower, painted white. Above the light, the tower carries a triangular slatted daymark, point down. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located in the Brzeźno neighborhood, about 330 m (360 yd) south southwest of the front light. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C3062.1; NGA 6864.
* Gdańsk Nowy Port West Breakwater (2)
2008(?) (station establishment date unknown). Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); green light, 2 s on, 4 s off. 7 m (23 ft) octagonal tower with lantern and gallery. Lighthouse painted green with a white base. Lukas Hardy's photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo, Robert Opala has a closeup street view, and Google has a satellite view. It appears that sometime in 2007-08 the original west breakwater was removed and the head of the quay rebuilt with a new lighthouse. Nowy Port (New Port) was built in the 19th century to expand the traditional harbor of Gdańsk. Located at the end of the short west breakwater. Accessible by a short walk from the from the nearby Brzeźnieński Park; a trail through the woods leads to a sidewalk that reaches the pier. Site open, tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. . Admiralty C3066; NGA 6880.
Gdańsk Nowy Port East Breakwater {Westerplatte} (2)
2012 (station established 1842). Active; focal plane 13 m (43 ft); one long red flash every 6 s. 13 m (44 ft) octagonal tower, painted red with a black band around the base. This light is a replica of a historic lighthouse that was suddenly demolished, to the horror of preservationists, in April 2012. Dariusz Mazur has a 2013 photo of the new lighthouse, Jerzy Wawa has a 2021 photo, Trabas has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view. Pete Ford has a photo of the original lighthouse, Wikimedia has a photo, and Huelse has a historic postcard view showing the original lantern. Located at the end of the east breakwater. There are good views from many places around the harbor. Site and tower closed. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. ARLHS POL-006; Admiralty C3068; NGA 6876.
Gdańsk Inner {Westerplatte} Range Front
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 23 m (75 ft); green light, 3 s on, 2 s off. 20 m (66 ft) square skeletal tower carrying two triangular slatted daymarks, pointed up. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo and Robert Opala has a street view across the harbor entrance but Google has only a fuzzy satellite view. This is the entrance range for the Nowy Port. Located near the base of the east breakwater. Site status unknown. Admiralty C3064; NGA 6868.

Nowy Port West Breakwater Light, Gdansk, October 2018
Google Maps photo by Lukas Hardy
Gdańsk Inner{Westerplatte} Range Rear
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 35 m (115 ft); green light, occulting once every 5 s. 32 m (105 ft) square skeletal tower carrying a triangular slatted daymark, pointed down. Lighthouse painted white. Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Alice Rekish has a 2021 drone view, and Google has a satellite view. Located 370 m (1/4 mi) southeast of the front light. Site and tower closed. Admiralty C3064.1; NGA 6872.
** Twierdza Wisłoujście (Wisłoujście Fortress) {Weichselmünde}
1482. Inactive since 1758. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) round stone tower rising from the center of a 15th century fortress. Jakub Gałczyński has a photo, a more distant view is available, and Google has a satellite view and a street view from across the river. Located on the east bank of the Motława River a short distance south of the harbor. Site and normally tower open but the fort was closed for renovation in 2023.
*** Gdańsk Nowy Port {Danzig Neufahrwasser} (2)
1894 (station established 1758). Inactive since 1984 (a decorative light is displayed). 27 m (89 ft) octagonal brick tower with wooden lantern and gallery, rising from a 1-story octagonal stone base. Tower is unpainted red brick; lantern painted white with a black dome. Andrzej Otrębski's photo is at right, Grażyna Stańczyk has a 2023 photo, another photo is available, Huelse has a photo and a historic postcard view and Google has a street view and a satellite view. The lighthouse is said to have been designed to resemble the Cleveland Light (now lost) in the U.S. state of Ohio. In its later years the lighthouse displayed a directional light through a square window in the lantern room. A pole atop the lantern carried a time ball until 1921. In a 2009 visit Anna Jenšíková found that the time ball has been restored, but Malcolm Schmidt reports it was out of order and not operating in 2023. The ball drops daily at noon, 2, 4, and 6 pm. The lighthouse was damaged by fire from Polish forces during the first days of World War II; it was quickly repaired, but some of the patches in the brickwork are visible. The light was replaced in 1984 by the modern, much taller tower at the harbormaster's office (next entry). The historic lighthouse was protected as a historic site in 1986. Located just off the waterfront at Nowy Port in Gdańsk. Site open; tower open daily May through September. Site manager: Latarnia Morska Gdańsk Nowy Port . ARLHS POL-033.
#Danish Motorfyrskib II Vyl
1916 (Rasmus Møller Værft, Fåborg). Decommissioned 1978. 33.6 m (110 ft) steel lightship; the light was displayed from a lantern atop the mainmast. Hull painted red with a white horizontal band; superstructure painted white, lantern red. Except for an interruption during and shortly after World War II, this ship served from 1930 through 1969 on the Vyl station. It was sold in 1978 to the Dragør sailing club, which restored the vessel and used it as a club headquarters ship. In 1985 it was sold to Arp Hansen, the owner of the Nyhavn Hotel, who operated the ship as a restaurant during the summer months. In the late 1990s it was sold again. In 2006 the ship was towed to Poland. In March 2008, Iris Klempau observed the ship at a shipyard in Gdansk. However, by November 2009 the ship had sunk at its berth in Gdansk; Andrzej Patro has a 2016 photo and Google has a 2013 street view and a satellite view. The wreck was raised in December 2018, removed and scrapped. Site status unknown. Owner: private. ARLHS DEN-234.
* Gdańsk Port Północny (Northern Port)
1984. Active; focal plane 56 m (184 ft); three white flashes every 9 s. 61 m (200 ft) square cylindrical tower supporting a 3-story control room and observation superstructure, topped by a radar antenna. Tower painted blue, superstructure white. Trabas has a photo, Jacob Ini has a 2021 photo, and Google has a street view and a good satellite view. The tower houses the harbor control facilities for Gdańsk and Gdynia. Located at the harbormaster's office, to which it is attached, at the base of the north breakwater of the new harbor on the east side of Gdańsk. Site and tower closed; there is a distant view from the Westerplatte beach on the north side of the port. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. ARLHS POL-007; Admiralty C3080.8; NGA 6968.

Nowy Port Light, Gdańsk, April 2014
Wikimedia photo by Andrzej Otrębski
Port Północny North Breakwater
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); green light, 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off. 9 m (30 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted green. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located at the end of a long spur branching southeast from the end of the north breakwater. Site and tower closed. Admiralty C3081.21; NGA 6954.
Port Północny Detached Breakwater (North Head)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 12 m (39 ft); red light, 2.5 s on, 2.5 s off. 12 m (39 ft) square cylindrical concrete tower with lantern and gallery, painted red. Trabas has a photo, Radek Sobczyński has a 2022 view from the sea, and Google has a satellite view. Located at the north end of a short detached breakwater protecting the Northern Port from northeast winds. Site and tower closed. Admiralty C3081.5; NGA 6962.
Port Północny Range Front (?)
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 20 m (66 ft); orange light, 3 s on, 2 s off. 13 m (43 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. This light was probably replaced along with the rear light (next entry). Located on the waterfront of the Northern Port. Site and tower closed. Admiralty C3081.02; NGA 6952.
#Port Północny Range Rear (1)
Date unknown. Replaced. Approx. 40 m (131 ft) square cylindrical skeletal tower. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. A 2021 Google street view shows that the light (focal plane 45 m (148 ft); orange light, 3 s on, 2 s off) is now on a very tall mast. Located 900 m (0.56 mi) west southwest of the front light. Active light: Admiralty C3081.03; NGA 6952.1.

Nowy Dwór Gdański County (Vistula Spit) Lighthouse
**** Krynica Morska {Kahlberg} (2)
1951 (station established 1895; inactive 1945-1951). Active; focal plane 53 m (174 ft); white light, 2 s on, 2 s off, 2 s on, 6 s off. 27 m (89 ft) round cement block tower with lantern and gallery, painted orange-red; lanten and gallery painted white. 1-1/2 story keeper's house apparently occupied by a resident keeper. A photo is at right, Trabas has Capt. Peter's photo, Wikimedia has a portfolio of photos, Monika Sebzda has a 2023 photo, Huelse has a photo, and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Huelse also has a postcard view of the original lighthouse, a handsome building blown up by retreating German forces in 1945. The lighthouse is located on the Vistula Spit (Mierzeja Wiślana), a very long barrier spit that extends along the southeastern edge of the Gulf of Gdańsk. The east end of the peninsula lies across the Russian frontier. Located on highway 501 about 100 km (60 mi) east of Gdańsk and midway on the Polish portion of the peninsula. Site open, tower open daily May through September. Operator: Urząd Morski w Gdyni. Site manager: Latarnia Morska w Krynicy . ARLHS POL-013; Admiralty C3090; NGA 6996.

Krynica Morska Light, Krynica Morska, August 2013
Wikimedia Creative Commons photo by Luxetowiec

Warmińsko-Mazurskie (Warmian-Masurian) Province Lighthouses

Elbląg County (Vistula Lagoon) Lighthouses
The Vistula Lagoon or Vistula Bay (Zalew Wiślany in Polish) is a shallow lagoon, 90 km (56 mi) long and 10 to 19 km (6 to 15 mi) wide, separated from the Baltic Sea by the Vistula Spit. A little more than one third of the lagoon is in Poland; the rest is in the Russian territory of Kaliningrad. The natural opening to the lagoon is the Baltiysk Strait at the Russian city of Baltiysk. In September 2022 Polan completed a new opening, the Vistula Spit Canal, to allow Polish ships to access the lagoon without detoruing through Russia.

Gdańsk Channel
Date unknown. Inactive since 2020. 11 m (36 ft) tower mounted on a large round stone base. Trabas has a photo and Google has a satellite view. Located near the western end of the lagoon. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty C3242.
Elbląg West Mole
Date unknown. Active; focal plane about 9 m (30 ft); green light, pattern unknown. Approx. 9 m (30 ft) square skeletal tower with gallery, painted green and mounted on a square stone base. Trabas has Capt. Peter's closeup photo, another photo is available, and Google has a distant satellite view. Located on the breakwater at the entrance to the Elblag River. Accessible only by boat. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C3228.
[Elbląg Junction {Elbing} (2)]
Date unknown. Active; focal plane 11 m (36 ft); white, red or green light depending on direction, 2 s on, 2 s off. 7 m (23 ft) round fiberglass tower, colored with black and white horizontal bands., mounted on a large round concrete pier. Jarosław Kowalski's photo is at right, Trabas has a photo, Damian Rakoczy has a closeup photo, and Google has a satellite view of the pier. This modern light replace a square skeletal tower with lantern and gallery, seen in a 1930s photo posted by Bernhard Waldmann and a 1941 postcard view posted by Forand. Located in the lagoon at the junction of the dredged channel leading to Elbląg. Site open, tower closed. Admiralty C3224.
* Tolkmicko {Tolkemit}
Date unknown. Inactive since 2012. Approx. 24 m (79 ft) square red brick tower of the Church of St James the Apostle (Kościółśw. Jakuba Apostoła). The church dates from the 14th century. Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located in the center of Tolkmicko, a town on the south shore of the lagoon. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty C3220.1.
* Frombork {Frauenburg} Range Rear
Date unknown. Inactive since 2016. Approx. 30 m (98 ft) square red brick steeple of the Church of St Adalbert (Kościółśw. Wojciecha). The light is mounted beside the next-to-highest window of the steeple. Trabas has a photo and Google has a street view and a satellite view. Located in the center of Frombork, a village on the south shore of the lagoon about 15 km (9 mi) east of Tolkmicko. Site open, tower closed. ex-Admiralty C3213.1.

Elbląg Junction Light, Vistula Lagoon, May 2021
Google Maps photo by Jarosław Kowalski

Information available on lost lighthouses:

Notable faux lighthouses:

Adjoining pages: East: Kaliningrad | West: Świnoujście Area

Return to the Lighthouse Directory index | Ratings key

Posted April 18, 2005. Checked and revised May 21, 2023. Lighthouses: 46; lightships: 1. Site copyright 2023 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.