Kolka lighthouse

The present Kolka lighthouse is the only lighthouse in Latvia that was built on an artificially created island. It is located in the sea, 5.14 km from the ruins of the old lighthouse. The island was built from boulders that were transported by boats or by sledge from Kurzeme and Estonia. The construction was started in 1872 and the light was first lit in the tower 3 years later. A living house for attendants was built and a a fog horn brought from Paris was installed on the island.

The completed lighthouse was put into operation in 1884. The fog horn was replaced by a steam syren, in 1915 the still lens was replaced by a blinking light and in 1934 beam emitting lenses installed on a rotating table became the source of the incandescent light. The lighthouse was upgraded in the 1960-ies and in 1979 it started operating in an automated mode without any service personnel.

The boulders of the island were continuously washed out by waves and the stream, therefore wooden protection walls were replaced by a concrete wall, later reinforced concrete blocks were put there with stones and concrete sacks in between them.
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