Holtenau Lighthouse

A tower for the Kaiser's inauguration

The lighthouse was built specially for the ceremonial opening of the Kiel Canal in 1895, when Kaiser Wilhelm II laid the keystone at this very spot. Unlike many plain sea marks, it is designed as an ornate brick structure reflecting the national pride of the era. The octagonal floor plan, the round-arched windows and the richly articulated façade give it its festive character. For decades its light guided ships into the canal. To this day the tower stands as a symbol for the beginning of one of the most important waterways in the world.

Neo-Romanesque in red brick

The tower is considered one of the most beautiful on the entire Baltic coast. Its neo-Romanesque style shows in the pilaster strips, friezes and elaborately decorated brickwork typical of the imperial era's representative architecture. The warm colour of the brick contrasts charmingly with the often steel-blue sky and the water of the fjord. Inside, historic details recall its former use as a maritime registry office. Anyone who appreciates architecture and history will find here an impressive testimony to northern German building craft that is far more than a mere navigational aid.

A photo motif at the fjord entrance

The lighthouse stands right at the transition from the fjord to the canal, beside the Holtenau lock, and is easily reached from the waterfront promenade. From the Tiessenkai it makes a particularly fine subject against the passing ships. At sunset the red brick glows warmly — the most popular time for photographs. A visit combines ideally with the spectacle of the lock and a stroll through Holtenau. To soak up the maritime atmosphere, plan a break at one of the nearby cafés with a view of the water.