Leuchtturm Kiel-Holtenau, Lighthouse at entrance of Kiel Canal, Holtenau, Germany
Kiel-Holtenau lighthouse is a brick structure beside the lock at the start of the Kiel Canal. The red building marks the point where the canal links Kiel Fjord and the Baltic Sea with the North Sea.
It was built in 1895 as a marker for the newly opened canal linking the two seas for the first time. This waterway was a major undertaking that changed maritime routes across Europe.
The structure sits at a busy intersection where ships from both seas meet and part ways at the lock. It forms part of the everyday landscape for anyone passing through this maritime crossing point.
Visitors can see the structure from outside when visiting the lock area or the harbor surroundings. It is easily accessible from the roadside and operates around the clock as a navigation aid.
Inside is a residence for sea pilots who guide ships safely through the narrow canal. This pilot station with living quarters is the only one of its kind in Germany.
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