|
A 230-foot diameter area around the Den Helder Lighthouse, also known as the Lange Jaap Lighthouse, near Fort Kijkduin in Huisduinen, Netherlands, has now been closed off to the public because it is feared that the 17-story lighthouse, which is the tallest non-skeletal lighthouse in the world, might collapse.
In 1998, the tower was first closed to the public after it was discovered that the 144-year-old lighthouse, which has 264 steps to the top, had cracks in its cast iron floors. Although the tower was refurbished in 1999, it has since remained closed to the public. However, a recent inspection discovered new cracks in the lighthouse and it was concluded that the structural integrity of the tower could not be guaranteed, which resulted in the area around the lighthouse being cordoned off.
The lighthouse was constructed from 1,088 iron plates and 21,446 nuts and bolts. It will now have to be determined if the lighthouse can be saved.
This story appeared in the
Nov/Dec 2021 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. The print edition contains more stories than our internet edition, and each story generally contains more photographs - often many more - in the print edition. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.
All contents copyright © 1995-2024 by Lighthouse Digest®, Inc. No story, photograph, or any other item on this website may be reprinted or reproduced without the express permission of Lighthouse Digest. For contact information, click here.
|
