Lyökin pooki, Navigation daymark in Uusikaupunki, Finland
Lyökin pooki is a stone navigation daymark in Uusikaupunki that rises over 16 meters high with red and white checkered patterns decorating its exterior surfaces. A narrow spiral staircase with several landings climbs through the interior, though the thick walls leave no room for actual chambers.
This structure was built in 1757 on the initiative of merchant Kristian Trapp and served as a crucial navigation aid at a junction of shipping routes to Sweden. It remains the oldest preserved daymark in Finland, maintaining its original form from the period of Swedish rule.
The Finnish Heritage Agency recognizes this daymark and its pilot station as elements of national significance within Finland's built environment heritage.
The site is easily reached on foot and offers visitors a good overview of the surrounding coastal landscape from above. The narrow staircase requires sure-footedness and appropriate footwear for a safe climb.
Few visitors realize that the checkered pattern visible today was painted to make the structure easier to spot from ships at sea during daylight hours. This simple but effective design element helped sailors identify the location quickly and distinguish it from other landmarks along the coast.
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