Klaipėdos švyturys (Klaipėda lighthouse)

Klaipėda Lighthouse – a navigational signal located in Smiltynė 500 metres from the coast of the Baltic sea. The height – 44 m above the sea level. The signal is visible for 33 kilometers.

The lighthouse in Klaipėda was originally built in 1796, with its first glare shone on September 1, 1796. The lighthouse was the third oldest lighthouse on the coast of the Baltic Sea – with the only two older ones being in Danzig (current – Gdansk) and in Travemünde.

The original lighting system was made out of six bronze reflectors – however, for the lack of effect of reflectors, light of the lighthouse 4 km away from the coast was visible only as the full moon disk.   

In 1819 the lighthouse was heightened (author of the project – Samuel Irental), it was equipped with a new lighting system, which consisted of 13 reflectors, covered with brass polished silver plates, illuminated by the 13 oil-burning lamps. Then the light of the Lighthouse was outspread in the sea more than 30 kilometers.

Only one authentic part of this over 200-year-old lighthouse remained – a plinth part of 4 m. The lighthouse was completely destroyed during the Second World War. In 1945 it was rebuilt. In 1953 it was again rebuilt and redrafted.   

Now the lighthouse – 44 meters high. Distance from the sea – 500 m. The signal is visible for 33 kilometers.

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Based on a work at http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMJDAK_Klaipeda_lighthouse_Klaipedos_vyturys_Lithuania