Lighthouse height: 45 m
Beacon height: 62.8 m above sea level
Range: 20 nautical miles (around 37 km)
Beacon characteristic: 0.45+9.55=10 s
Geographical location: 54o 05' 47'' N, 15o 04' 57''
E
On the blue ramblers' route along the Rewal coastline, which is part of the E-9 European long-distance road (on its Pobierowo – Niechorze section, registered number Sz-1149-n), there are several well-known holiday resorts and tourist sights, including the ruins of Trzęsacz Church and Niechorze Lighthouse. You can trek along several sections of this route and return to your starting point on a narrow-gauge railway or by PKS country bus. Five kilometres from Pogorzelica, which is at one end of the route, you will come to a place on the coast called Niechorze, with a lighthouse which may be reached in a north-westerly direction towards the Baltic shore. Niechorze Lighthouse was built on top of a coastal cliff. It towers high over the surroundings and is readily visible from the sea, over the wide sandy beach and woodland covering the entire cliff-top.
In the second half of the 19th century it was observed that there was a gap in the signalling system between ¦winouj¶cie Lighthouse, which was up since 1857, and Jarosławiec Lighthouse (in operation since 1838). In the interval between them there was no adequate illumination, if Kołobrzeg Lighthouse were to be disregarded on account of its small range. As the volume of shipping along the Western Pomeranian coast was increasing all the time, and there were numerous collisions in the area of the Oder Bank, the authorities decided to build a new lighthouse in the environs of Trzęsacz or Niechorze.
The final choice was the Niechorze area. On the grounds of an order issued by the German Ministry of Navigation on 15th May 1863, a decision was taken to erect a lighthouse on a 22 m coastal cliff, west of the place now called Niechorze. In 1863 work on the drafting of a design started. Construction continued until 1866, and on 1st December of that year the lamp in the new lighthouse was lit for the first time. It had a white beacon of characteristic 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, unlike the lighthouse at ¦winouj¶cie, which had a continuous beacon.
The lighthouse and tower that were erected comprise a harmoniously composed architectural entity which dominates the environs of Niechorze. Its façade is the northern elevation, in the very centre of which there is a beautiful entrance door at ground level with two windows of twenty panels each. There are full arches over both the doorway and windows, and above them an open terrace with an openwork balustrade. The base of the tower is rectangular up to a height of 19 m; thereafter, up to 32.5 m, it is octagonal with sides of length approximately 2.9 m. A series of pilasters project from the corners, alternately in red brick and black glazed brick, in the octagonal section. The surfaces between the pilasters are in yellow brick with a facing. The tower has a markedly protruding cornice. At a height of 35.7 m there is viewing terrace which surrounds the extension of the tower, over which the lantern is situated. It is made of T-shaped steel bars with three rows of glass panes, covered with a hemispherical metal roof.
Inside the lighthouse there is a winding staircase. After over 200 stone steps you finally reach the viewing terrace. The total height of the lighthouse is 45 m. On either side the tower is adjoined by residential quarters for four lighthouse-keepers’ families. This part reaches up to a height of 12.2 m and was built in dark red brick. The lantern was fitted out with a Fresnel Class I device, designed by Veit-Meyer. Originally the light source was rape-seed oil, with an annual consumption of 1,943 kg. The lamp’s characteristic was obtained by means of a clockwork mechanism which moved a metal annular stroboscope with four orifices. In accordance with the provisions then in force, the lamp was lit every evening half an hour before sunset, and put out at sunrise. The explanation for the lighting times was that on cloudy days it was dark much earlier than at the astronomical time of sunset. At least 15 minutes had to pass before the beacon reached its maximum luminance.
On the south side of the lighthouse there is a court which once served as a farmyard, with a barn, another agricultural building, and a storehouse. The precinct is surrounded by a brick wall, which gives it a harmonious architectural appearance. On the north side, between the lighthouse and the cliff edge, there are some gardens enclosed by a beautiful hedge planted 60 years ago.
During the Second World War the lamp was hit by artillery fire, and the entire optical device was destroyed. After liberation the lighthouse keepers discovered that the Germans had planted 8 mines in the lighthouse when they were retreating. Fortunately no further damage was caused. In 1948 the lighthouse was fully restored in accordance with the old plans, however the old oil lamp was replaced with a Swedish-made electrically powered source. It consisted of four interconnected disk-shaped lenses with a light bulb inside. An ex-submarine motor mechanism was used to rotate the optical device. After an overhaul in 1999, this original contraption is still working as efficiently as ever today. The early post-war period was probably the time when the elevations on the tower were given a coat of exterior plaster.
The rebuilding project had its moments of suspense, too, quite literally. The damaged lantern was hanging on some bent constructional elements over the west part of the residential building. During its removal the entire mass fell, cutting through the roof and floors of the house right down into the cellar. Fortunately no-one was hurt, but the building needed restoration. After its restoration the lamp was first lit on 18th December 1948 at 15.30 hours.
One of the first lighthouse keepers was a man who had once been a sailor in the Polish Navy during the Second World War. In recognition of his distinguished service – and despite the fact that he had lost an arm during the War - he was appointed to the very responsible job of keeping the beacon alight all the time.
Currently the light comes from an electric bulb in a four-directional rotating optical device with annular lenses. The bulb has a power of 1 kW and is fitted into a two-position changer, which holds two bulbs, one in use and the other on stand-by. The pulse characteristics of the beacon are obtained by an electronically steered flashing device; while the lamp is lit and extinguished by means of an photocell apparatus. There is a small generator installed in the keeper’s control room, some 8 m away from the lighthouse, to keep the beacon alight in the event of a power failure.
In 1997 the lighthouse keeper’s wife assumed duties – the second generation to do so. Perhaps one of the couple’s children will follow in their parents’ footsteps and make lighthouse-keeping a family occupation.
To protect the cliff against tidal erosion a thick concrete skirt was laid over a distance of around 500 m along the coast. An additional layer of boulders was heaped up in front of it on the seaward side with a series of perpendicular palisades acting as a breakwater.
On 23rd October 1997, by a decision taken by the Voivode of Szczecin, in view of the unique, historic nature of the lighthouse, its details alluding to medieval architecture, and its surroundings, the entire site was ascribed the status of a monument of national culture and entered in the Voivodeship register of national monuments (No. A-1350). From the lighthouse tower there is a splendid panorama view of the sea and coastal area, with its woodland and lakes. Thousands of holidaymakers visit the lighthouse in the summer season to admire the sight.
After years of efficient service, the lighthouse was in need of an overhaul, which started in 1999. The Szczecin division of the Maritime Authority (Urz±d Morski), which conducted the overhaul, decided to carry it out in two stages. Stage One consisted of the overhaul of the lighthouse itself, which started in the spring. This was done in the interest of tourists, who come in the summer season to visit the lighthouse, and in recognition of the work done on behalf of the tourists by Stowarzyszenie Miło¶ników Latarni Morskich, the lighthouse enthusiasts’ association. Stage One was financed by a private sponsor, POLKOMTEL S.A., (80K PLN) and the lighthouse enthusiasts (190K PLN), and the remainder of the costs, up to a total of 525K PLN, was covered by the Szczecin Maritime Authority. The job entailed the cleaning of the exterior walls and their impregnation with a coat of protective substances, the repair of the walls, the laying of new interior and exterior plaster, the replacement of the wooden door and window frames, the overhaul of the lantern, and the mounting of new electrical and lightning conductor installations. A set of electrically powered window-opening devices operated from the base of the lighthouse were installed as a safety measure for fire and smoke protection.
In the course of this project the agricultural building inside the yard was found to be beyond repair and no longer serving its original purpose. With the consent of the national and voivodeship conservation authorities, it was pulled down. The machine-house was fully rebuilt, to accommodate it architecturally to the surroundings.
In 2000 the full project was completed, along with the restoration of the residential quarters and agricultural amenities, and a series of landscaping jobs. The residential premises had new electric installations fitted and the old coal-fired heating systems exchanged for new gas-fired central heating. The standard of comfort of the accommodation was enhanced. During the works on the perimeter wall the old bricks in it were found to be in such a poor condition that the whole structure was dismantled and reconstructed using new bricks. Stage Two cost the Szczecin Maritime Authority 1,118K PLN. It was officially completed in December 2000. The standard of living enjoyed by the lighthouse keepers and their families has been improved very significantly, and the general appearance of the entire site has been enhanced. Niechorze Lighthouse, now a very beautiful destination for sightseeing, will no doubt be delighting thousands and thousands of visitors, especially as it has been given an extra splash of colour. During the overhaul its roofs, and wooden door and window frames were painted green, while the tower is a refreshing yellow, with the lamp itself brilliant white – in compliance with the original design.