Pilsum Lighthouse
Encyclopedia
The Pilsum Lighthouse was built in 1891 in order to provide a beacon
for the Emshörn channel on Germany's North Sea coast. It is located on a dyke
near the village of Pilsum in the municipality of Krummhörn
. It has guided ships through the narrow channel since 1915. In the First World War its light was extinguished in order that enemy ships could not navigate the route. After that it was no longer needed, because the channel was changed. The height of the structure is 11 metres; the height of the light about sea level is 15 metres. Today the tower is one of the best-known symbols of East Frisia
.
. In the film Otto lives in the lighthouse. Although the lighthouse is one of the central scenes in Otto – der Außerfriesische, for some reason the picture used on cinema advertisements and later on the inlays of the video and DVD editions was of the Westerheversand Lighthouse, not the Pilsum Lighthouse.
Navigational aid
A navigational aid is any sort of marker which aids the traveler in navigation; the term is most commonly used to refer to nautical or aviation travel...
for the Emshörn channel on Germany's North Sea coast. It is located on a dyke
Levee
A levee, levée, dike , embankment, floodbank or stopbank is an elongated naturally occurring ridge or artificially constructed fill or wall, which regulates water levels...
near the village of Pilsum in the municipality of Krummhörn
Krummhörn
Krummhörn is a municipality in the district of Aurich, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated near the Ems estuary, approximately 15 km southwest of Norden, and 10 km northwest of Emden....
. It has guided ships through the narrow channel since 1915. In the First World War its light was extinguished in order that enemy ships could not navigate the route. After that it was no longer needed, because the channel was changed. The height of the structure is 11 metres; the height of the light about sea level is 15 metres. Today the tower is one of the best-known symbols of East Frisia
East Frisia
East Frisia or Eastern Friesland is a coastal region in the northwest of the German federal state of Lower Saxony....
.
Film
The tower grew in popularity as a result of the film Otto – Der Außerfriesische ("Otto - the Outer Frisian") by comedian Otto WaalkesOtto Waalkes
Otto Gerhard Waalkes is a Frisian comedian and actor. He became famous in the 1970s and 1980s in Germany with his shows, books and movies. His perhaps most famous trademark are the 'Ottifanten' , elephant-like comic characters of his own design...
. In the film Otto lives in the lighthouse. Although the lighthouse is one of the central scenes in Otto – der Außerfriesische, for some reason the picture used on cinema advertisements and later on the inlays of the video and DVD editions was of the Westerheversand Lighthouse, not the Pilsum Lighthouse.
External links
- Pilsum Lighthouse
- Information and photos of Pilsum Lighthouse at www.leuchtturm-welt.de