Baltiysky lighthouse, Maritime lighthouse in Baltiysk, Kaliningrad Oblast, Russia

The Baltiysky Lighthouse is a slightly conical brick tower with two galleries and a cylindrical glass lantern, standing 33.2 metres above sea level. Its lower part is white and its upper part red. The foundation consists of huge granite blocks surrounded by half-metre piles bound with heavy forged chains. Together with a lower light, it marks the approach from the sea into the port of Baltiysk.

Built in 1813, the lighthouse ranks among the earliest navigation structures on Russia's Baltic coastline. It marks an important moment in the development of maritime infrastructure along this region.

The lighthouse is known locally by its pre-1946 name, Pillau, and the town itself was renamed Baltiysk on 27 November 1946. Its red-and-white paint scheme has changed several times: the tower was all white until 1930, the upper half was painted red before World War II, and the lower part is white again today.

Baltiysk has been a closed naval base of the Baltic Fleet since Soviet times, and the lighthouse can be visited only by residents or with a special permit. Access to the town and tower is subject to authorisation, so arrange it before travelling. The tower stands on the northern part of the Vistula Spit at the entrance to the Vistula Lagoon.

The lighthouse remains an active navigation tool, still fulfilling its original purpose while simultaneously serving as a historical landmark. This dual role as both functional beacon and heritage site makes it quite uncommon.